The Princess and The Pilot
by Aryea
Summary: Based on the newer series Voltron Force. This will mainly be a romance between Keith and Allura. There may be one or two battles for some H/C but the story is centered around their relationship away from fighting as Voltron. Some SPOILERS for references to certain episodes. Rated T for language and adult situations.
1. Chapter 1

**_This story starts off during the episode of Gary in Voltron Force the new series- There is a short quip at the beginning, right after the scene with Hunk, Allura, Pidge and Keith discussing the space mice and before Vincent downloads Gary. Then the next part takes place the next evening after they have defeated Gary. I know one is way short and the other long, but I did not want to upload them as separate chapters for the same reason._**

_**I grew up on the original Voltron, and was tickled to discover their newer adventures on Netflix recently. Very first Voltron fanfic so please let me know what you think.** _

* * *

"So, stupid! So stupid!" Keith smacked himself in the head as he left the maintenance hanger. "If it's what Allura wants it's what I want?" he repeated and moaned. "May as well just hang a neon sign around your head, Keith!"

How could he have said that? And in front of Allura! It was bad enough he'd said it in front of Pidge and Hunk. His one saving grace was that Lance hadn't been there, because he knew that his Lieutenant would not have dismissed it so easily.

He stopped, leaned against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest. God! He had to get his feelings for the Princess under control. He couldn't be making comments like that. It would get him into all sorts of trouble.

"Stupid. Big mouth..."

"Are you and Lance fighting again?"

Keith quickly straightened as Allura approached. "S...sorry?"

"Those are the usual references you award Lance, is it not?"

Oh God. Keith hoped that the heat he was feeling in his cheeks were not actually reflected to the point she could see it. "Ah, yeah. Yes, I guess, sometimes."

She stopped in front of him, put her hands on her hips. "So, are you guys fighting again?"

"No. No, we're not I was just..." He waved a hand and tried not to think how well her uniform clung to every curve. "Never mind."

"I wanted to thank you for what you said."

"What I said?" Stupid! Stupid!

"About the space mice. I know they can be an annoyance at times, but they can be helpful too."

"Oh I...I know. I mean, I absolutely agree." He shrugged. "They don't bother me at all."

She smiled, and hooked her arm through his. "I don't know about you, but I'm starving. Let's go raid the kitchens."

He looked down at their joined arms. The Princess like to touch people, it wasn't just him, and he was pretty sure she didn't intend it to mean anything. She did it with all of them, not just him. Of course the others probably weren't in love with her either.

"Uh...actually I need to go over our last battle with Lotor."

"Oh, Keith. All you ever do is work."

"That...That's not true." Was it? "I just feel there could have been better, quicker ways to end the battle, that's all. I'm the commander of Voltron, I can't sit on my laurels..."

"Ssshh." Allura pressed her fingers to his lips. "I wasn't insulting you, Commander." She smiled and stepped away from him. "Just saying you should...what is it Lance always says? Be pliable?"

"Uh...hang lose?" He already missed the warmth of her arm on his. How sad was that? How pathetic?

"Yes, that's it!" She waved and started off down the corridor. "I'll be falling off my diet in the kitchen if you change your mind."

"I...I can be lose," he muttered and touched his lips where her fingers had been. Diet? What the hell was she doing on a diet anyway? She was perfect. Absolutely perfect. He groaned and headed for the control room.

* * *

Keith buzzed the door of Allura's quarters and waited. They'd finally managed to clean up most of heavy damage that Gary had done to the castle, the rest was cosmetic and would take time. He had been 'volunteered' to fetch the Princess by his crew, when she hadn't shown for dinner in the dining room.

He sighed, buzzed the door again. "Princess? Are you okay?"

Finally the door opened and Allura stood there in simple cotton slacks, a shirt tied at her waist and her long golden hair up in a scarf. She had smudges of dirt on her cheeks and a broom in her hand. "Oh, Hi Keith." She stepped back inside and returned to her cleaning as he followed her. "What can I do for you?"

"Uh..." He looked around at the rooms of her outer chambers. Chairs were overturned, portraits hanging off the wall and an assortment of trinkets tossed about. "Gary?"

She sighed and nodded as returned to the glass she had been sweeping up. "It actually looks better than it did." She indicated the ceiling from where the pieces of debris that had obviously fallen. "I'll have to get that patched."

"Yeah." He stared at her for a long moment, not used to seeing her do menial work. Sure she was the pilot of Blue Lion, but she had servants for this kind of thing. "Why aren't your...uh...people in here dealing with this?"

"There's so much damage all over, I felt they were needed elsewhere." She dumped the pieces of glass and ceiling tile into the robot recycler that followed her around the room. "I do know how to clean my own room, you know? I'm hardly a child."

"No, I know that." He moved to help her set a sofa upright. "But this is a big mess, Princess."

She smiled, picked up the broom and walked over to him. "Then it's a good idea I have a nice, strong man to help me with it." She pushed the broom into his hand. "Isn't it?"

He sighed. "I knew I should have sent Pidge."

She laughed and started picking up the assortment of bric-a brac and set them back on their assigned shelves. Keith righted the rest of the furniture and swept up the existing ceiling dust from the floor, as Allura wiped down her bookcases and restored her books.

Finally the place was back in order.

"Right, so now can we go to dinner?" he asked, leaning on the broom.

"Actually, I haven't even started on my bedroom," she admitted. "But you go ahead. I'll have the kitchens send something up here." She waved as she stepped through the door to her room. "Thanks for your help."

Keith stared at the door, knowing he should leave. It probably was against some kind of Castle rule for him to be in the Princesses' quarters without an escort or chaperone. But if her room looked anything like her parlour had, she'd have her work cut out for her.

He called down to the kitchens and ordered two orders to be sent up. He'd let them think what they would about it, because he wasn't about to let the Princess clean everything on her own.

He buzzed the bedroom door out of respect for her privacy and it slid open almost instantly. The floor, bed and furniture were littered with her clothing. The draperies leading to her personal balcony had been shredded and pictures knocked off the wall.

"Four hands are better than two," he said as he stepped through and watched her beam at him.

"I was hoping you'd say that!" She moved to the draperies first, pulled a chair over to one side and stood upon it. "Let's get these down first."

He carefully hauled a small night table to the other side and together they lowered the rod that held the curtains. "You're going to need new ones," he said as he hopped down, took the rod and tossed it on the bed.

She sighed. "I'm going to need a lot of new things." She couldn't believe the havoc that Gary creature had wreaked in just as few short hours! She smiled as his hands wrapped around her waist and lifted her down off the chair. She didn't need help of course, but Keith was always a gentleman. "Why thank you, kind sir."

He grinned at her. "Your Majesty," he released her, offered a small bow, then moved back to the bed to slip the curtains off the rod. "Where should I put these?"

"Recycler, they can't be salvaged."

He nodded as the small robot moved forward and opened its top. He stuffed the curtains inside, listened as the robot reduced the fabric to tiny particles.

"Commander?"

He looked at his Vocom at the sound of Hunk's voice. "Here."

"You get lost?"

"Ah, no. The Princess is eating in her room and I'm not all that hungry."

"Then can I have your portion of pie?"

"Help yourself." He disconnected the communication and leaned the rod in the corner of the room, then crouched and started to pick up clothing.

Allure let her gaze roam over his backside for a few leisurely moments, before she asked. "Why did you lie to Hunk, Keith?"

He straightened, his arms full of clothes, and looked at her. "Where do you want these?"

"The laundry chute." She pointed to the panel on the wall. "They'll all have to be washed."

He nodded, touched a button beside the panel and dumped the clothes down.

"Keith?"

"Hmmm?" He righted a lamp on his way by it.

"Why did you lie?"

"I didn't lie." He picked up one of her gowns. "This too?"

"No, just put that on the bed."

"You said you wanted to eat in your room." He laid the dress across the bed, found his hands lost in the silken folds of the blue and white material as he smoothed out the skirt. He could picture Allura in it and felt his body react to the image as well. Crap! "This is pretty."

She smiled and walked over to him to touch the material. "It's new. I haven't had the chance to wear it yet, it's for formal occasions."

"Well, let's hope we get one of those soon."

Keith stepped around her, needing to put some distance between them and his...sudden condition, and continued to gather clothing, missing the tender look his teammate shot him.

Allura shook her head and wondered if the Voltron Commander deliberately made such lovely comments to get her attention, or if they were completely random? What he had said in the maintenance hangar had surprised and touched her, and the way he tried to recover from it just as quickly, amused her.

She wished she knew if there was something more behind the comments and the subtle looks he gave her sometimes, but she was not well versed in relationships between a man and a woman. Keith had been her friend for years now, and her team mate. He was intensely protective of her, but then, all the boys were. Lance flirted with her sometimes, but she never gave it any thought because, well he was Lance. And any time she gave Pidge or Hunk a hug or a kiss they got so embarrassed! It was adorable really.

But Keith was an enigma. She'd had only a couple of occasions to hug him, and she had never kissed him. But she touched him, when she thought she could get away with it, and he always took her touches in stride, neither deflecting nor assuming... just...accepting.

The chime to her outer quarters sounded and she turned towards it, startled. "Who could that be?"

"I ordered dinner," he advised. "You said you wanted to eat in your room."

She looked at him and her heart simply melted in her chest. Honestly, she now had just a center of go behind her left breast. "Oh," was all she could manage.

She went out and opened the door to the hover cart, which promptly slid inside with their meals. And there were two, which meant Keith intended to stay! "You were right," she said as she directed the cart through her bedroom and towards her balcony. "Let's eat outside."

Allura retrieved the broom and swept the balcony clear of the layer of dust that had fallen from the castle's earlier encounter. She set the broom against the half barrier of the guard rail as the cart automatically transformed into a small intimate table with two chairs and a flower in the center.

Keith stepped onto the balcony, held out her chair, then settled opposite her. "Good, cleaning is hard work."

She laughed and pulled the cover off her plate of food. The delicious smell of roasted meat and vegetables in an intoxicating thick sauce made her mouth water. Beneath a second cover was a full pie, still warm from the ovens and neatly sliced for convenience. "Oh, my."

He glanced at her as he lay his napkin over his lap. "What's wrong?"

"Well, that will surely ruin my diet."

"You weigh less than Pidge." Keith pointed to her plate with his fork and in his commander's voice ordered. "Eat. If you get any thinner Blue Lion won't register you in his seat, and then we lose a pilot."

She blinked. Was that a compliment or an insult? Iit was so hard to tell with him sometimes. "Are you implying I'm too skinny, Commander?"

"No." He opened his mouth and pushed food in before he said anything else stupid.

She picked up her fork. "I'm not skinny."

"You're not fat, either," he muttered before he could help himself and again stuffed his mouth. Shut up, Keith! He wasn't supposed to be noticing the Princess weight, measurements or body type!

She smiled slowly and felt a flutter of pleasure. "Well." She watched him shovel the food in and her smile broadened. "I'm not too skinny and I'm not too fat...So what does that make me?"

Perfect, he declared silently, thankful he had a mouthful of vegetables and couldn't that prevented him from speaking it aloud. He realized she was still looking to him for an answer, after he swallowed.

"Uh...Hunk says the pie is really good." He reached for a slice and shoved half of it in his mouth, gave her a thumbs up. "Ins goof."

"I'm sure it is." She frowned, worried he might choke if he kept taking such big bites. "You must be ravenous. I'm sorry I kept you from your dinner."

Keith forced himself to stop eating, wiped his mouth with his napkin. "I..." He swallowed what was left in his mouth. "No, I...I was hungry, but yeah..." He rolled his eyes at his own ineptitude and deliberately looked out at the setting sun. "So, interesting day."

"Yes, one I hope we never repeat." She shuddered, thinking again of that multiplying Gary creature. "I hope Pidge finds out where it came from and makes sure it never comes back."

"I'm sure he will. He a genius after all."

She watched him relax and return to his meal, taking normal sized bites. Work. He was more comfortable talking about work, so that was what she would talk to him about. "I hope he gets Black Lion's matrix fixed soon."

"Oh, me too, but I can't help worry that there's a reason Black keeps acting up whenever Pidge tries to help."

"I know. It's a little scary when the Lions turn against us."

He nodded, took a sip of his wine. "They haven't really, they're just protecting each other. But yeah, I get what you mean."

Ah, there was her Commander, she thought affectionately. "It was very brave of you to face off with Black Lion like you did."

He shrugged. "You suggested it. I just followed what you told me."

"Still, he could have hurt you, possibly even killed you." Her hear had been in her throat the entire time Keith had been walking up to Black Lion to prove leadership of the pride. She honestly didn't know what she would do if anything had happened to him at that moment. It would have been her fault.

"I don't think any of the Lions would actually harm us, Allura. Most of their posturing has been defensive, not offensive."

"True." She was always amazed at the connection the earth pilot seemed to have with the Voltron Lions, the understanding. Of course, he was chosen as leader, she supposed that was the main reason. "Thank you for helping me clean up."

"Sure."

Should she ask him? Just state her feelings straight out? Was that how Earth girls did it? "Keith?"

He looked at her.

"How do Earth women chose their mates?" She panicked when those incredible blue eyes landed directly on her, his eyebrows raised, and wondered if they had the same affect on every female, as they did on her?

Forcing herself to calm, she amended her question. "I... mean, my niece, Laramina, has been asking me and I'm not sure what to tell her." When he still didn't respond, she continued. "I...I think she might have a crush on Daniel and is trying to...to see if he likes her, but she isn't sure how because he's from Earth and I...she's from Arus."

She realized she was babbling and hoped that she wasn't blushing.

Keith wiped his mouth again with his napkin, set it beside his plate. "I..." How the hell did he answer that without getting himself in serious trouble? Women was not his specialty, especially not young teenage women. "You should probably ask Lance. He's the ladies man."

She frowned, curious. "He has more experience than you?"

He shrugged and reached for his wine again. "With women, yes." It was hard to admit, and he would never do so in front of Lance, but in front of Allura, yeah, he could admit that and not feel ashamed about it. "He chases anything with even a touch of feminine veneer."

"True." She grinned at the truth his comment. "Surely you had girlfriends before, though?"

He'd never really had time for girlfriends. He was a loner, and when he wasn't off doing his thing he had been working on being a pilot, the one thing he loved most. Then, when he was recruited for Voltron, well...hell, who had time for a relationship when fighting off madmen and Robobeasts? Still, while he didn't mind admitting that Lance had more experience than him with women, he wasn't about to let the Princess think he was a compete Virgin either.

"One or two."

Is that all? She marveled at the idea and wondered if he was being modest. He was so good looking, could even be charming when he tried. The females here fawned over both him and Lance, though he gave them no notice. Perhaps the women of Earth were just stupid, or maybe blind?

"Well...how did you court them?"

"I didn't." He realized this conversation was taking an entirely different turn, one he wasn't completely comfortable with.

"I...don't understand."

He set his fork down, no longer hungry. "Princess, I'm not sure this is a conversation we should be having."

"Why? Are you ashamed of the women you had relations with?"

"No. I just...don't think it's an appropriate thing for me to be discussing with you, that's all."

"Why? Are we not friends?"

"Yes, but..."

"And do friends not speak of such things? Lance discusses them at some length and even Hunk..."

"I'm not Lance, Princess, and I am most definitely not Hunk."

"Oh." She averted her eyes and pushed the remaining food around on her plate. "My, apologies, Commander."

Keith closed his eyes and sighed. He couldn't abide anyone hurting her, not even himself. "My first girlfriend was just that, a friend, at first, and then it just kind of developed from there into a more...intimate relationship. My second was a cadet at the flight academy, but I never really courted her. We both just...agreed there was a mutual attraction and decided to...act on it. It only lasted a few months."

Allura's distress immediately evaporated, but it was replaced with something close to sorrow. Had he really only had two such short relationships? "What of the first girl?" she inquires, gently. "How long were you with her?"

"Oh, I don't know. We knew each other since we were ten or eleven, maybe. I wouldn't even really say we were friends at first, she was just sort of...there whenever I needed my butt pulled out of the sling." He smirked as he remembered Tanji, the dark haired Asian that had caught him steeling from her grandfather's fruit stall, then started giving him food, when she realized he was homeless. "She was so smart, so quick and funny."

Allura watched the tender, wistful expressions transform the Commander's face and marveled at it. "You loved her."

He glanced at her, and his cool demeanor almost immediately returned. "No. I wish I had, then maybe..." He shook his head, rose and leaned against the balcony to stare out over the landscape. He had never discussed Tanji with anyone before, he wasn't even sure why he was doing it now.

"I'm sorry to bring up sad memories."

He shook his head again as joined him by the rail. "I just...haven't thought of her in such a long time."

"It's natural to try to forget things that make you sad." She placed her hand on his shoulder. "I am sorry."

"They're not sad memories, Princess." He smiled down at her. "They're some of the best memories I have, only..." He took a deep breath, looked out at the setting sun again and released it. "She was the reason I joined the flight academy. A Robobeast attacked the center of town, right where her grandfather's shop was. She was working there that day and I was supposed to..." He shook his head. "I was late. I was late and she died." His hands fisted on the rail. "And I promised I would never be late again."

"Oh, Keith." She laid her head on his shoulder, rubbed his back in comfort. "I am sad that she died, but also very grateful that she inspired you to become a pilot, and eventually the leader of Voltron."

He released another breath and felt an almost giddy chuckle filter out with it. He felt an odd sense of...relief. "Wow. I haven't told anyone about her." He glanced down at Allura. "Until now."

She smiled at him. "Then I am honored you chose to share it with me."

He turned, leaned back against the rail and crossed his arms over his chest. "Well, you kind of insisted."

She giggled. "I know. I am a horrible person."

"No." He turned, caught her chin and lifted it to meet his intense gaze. "You're wonderful." He lowered his head and kissed her cheek. "Thank you, Princess."

She flushed with pleasure and blinked several times. "I...my pleasure, Commander."

He heaved a sigh and crossed his arms again. "So, as you can see, Lance has been right all this time. I know almost nothing about women."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that." She wrapped her arm around his again, smiled up at him with twinkling eyes. "You know the way to a woman's heart is through good food and..." She pushed the broom into his hands. "A clean room."

He groaned and followed her back work.


	2. Chapter 2

_Okay, so second chapter, I can see from my stats people are reading it, juts not sure if anyone is enjoying it or if I should keep going. If so, please drop me a quick review. This is a fun chapter and another long one._

* * *

**CHAPTER 2**

"And so," Coran continued. "This year, the annual children's charity will contain a kissing booth, which I am to understand, from Lieutenant McClain, is an old Earth custom and usually very well received."

Keith rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. Figures Lance would come up with an idea where he could pick up women.

"It has already been cleared by the council and approved, so we are delighted to have your support."

Everyone but Keith nodded their head.

"Excellent. Commander Kogane, you will have the first shift."

Wait. What? He leaned forward. "First shift in what?"

"The kissing booth man!" Lance chuckled. "Were ya not listening?"

Keith looked around at his fellow teammates, Allura was not in attendance, she had been needed off planet for the day. He turned back to Coran. "No."

"But Commander!" Pidge protested. "It's for a children's charity! The Princesses' charity!"

"We're all gonna take a shift, Keith," Lance assured.

"Feel free." The commander rose. "But count me out."

"Commander."

Keith turned back to Coran.

"All of the members of Voltron have been asked to participate." And they had already publicized that Commander Keith would be the first of the Volton force in the booth; they'd had to print more tickets as they had sold out within an hour.

"All members? Even the Princess?"

Coran flushed. "Well, no, of course the Princess could not be included in such an activity, however..."

"But you expect us to be." Keith waved his hand and moved to the door. "Not happening, Coran."

Coran glared at Lance. "Lieutenant, you assured me the Commander would be behind this suggestion. Everything is already prepared and..."

Lance raised a hand and started after Keith. "He's just shy, Coran. I've got it covered."

He caught up with Keith in the hallway. "Come on man, why are you being such a stick-in-the-mud?"

"A kissing booth, Lance?" Keith growled. "That was the awesome plan you gave the committee for the charity? The sure-fire way to sell tickets that you've been bragging about all week?"

"It's a great idea! Hell, they already sold out of tickets and had to do another printing!"

"Then I hope your lips are up to it because I am going nowhere near that booth."

Lance caught his arm. "Keith, it's for charity."

"I'll give money!"

"You won't be able to give as much as we will earn with this booth."

"Lance! I am not going to...to kiss a bunch of strange, over-sexed women for money! I don't care what the cause is!"

"The Princess approved it. She's excited about it and it will make a lot of money. We can't ask for the tickets back, how will that look?"

"That is not my prob..." He paused. "Allura approved this crazy idea?"

Lance dropped a hand on his shoulder."Of course!"

"Approved it with me being first in the booth?"

"She suggested it man."

Keith groaned. How could she do this to him? Put him in such a compromising and demeaning position? "Lance..."

"Look, I know you're shy..."

Keith shrugged off Lance's hand. "I'm not shy!"

"Yeah, you are, but whatever. It's only for two hours, that's all, just two hours and it will fly by. I promise. I'll be next, then Hunk, then Pidge."

Keith glared at him.

"We're the pilot's of the Voltron lion's Keith, sometimes we have to trade on our fame and I prefer to do it for a good cause."

"A good cause to you is someone wishing it would rain."

True," Lance smirked. "But, look...There's a time limit, a three second rule, and girls under seventeen get a kiss on the cheek."

"And older than seventeen?"

Lance smirked. "Well, on the lips of course, but it can't be open mouth or anything. It's just a kiss! Hell, you and I could kiss right now and it would mean nothing."

"It would mean something. It would mean I'd have to get a new pilot for Red Lion, because you would be in critical care."

Lance laughed and patted Keith on the back. "Seriously, it will be fine. You might even have a little fun."

"I don't call kissing a bunch of strange women, fun."

"Then you have more issues than I thought, my friend."

An idea occurred to Keith. "It will just be women, right?"

"Of course! Come on, would I do that to you?"

"Frankly, yes, and you did just proposition me."

"Well, that's different. I'm me, and a really good catch." He squeezed Keith's shoulder. "Tell you what. I'll keep my eye on the booth while you're in there. If you really can't stand it anymore, just set up a code you can say into your Vocom and I'll come and relieve you."

"And who will be watching the Princess while we're all in this stupid booth? Who will be monitoring the castle defences in case Lotor attacks? Who..."

"Dude! That's why we're doing it one person at a time. We have got it covered. I promise you."

* * *

Keith landed Black Lion at the city square of Arus, more as special treat for the crowd than a show of force or security. Still, he preferred to have Black at his back in case something else happened. There was quite a line up already at the booth and his stomach clenched.

He would kill Lance for this, murder him in his sleep, decapitate him, disembowel him and then finish him off by wringing his fool neck. The fact that the Princess had approved this was the only reason he was here. He refused her nothing, and everyone knew it, damn it!

He stepped out of Black Lion and within five steps he was at the stupid booth. The center had been sectioned off by a barrier to keep the crowds out and to allow people working the various games and stalls room to change out supplies or shifts easily.

Lance was there waiting and smiling.

"I am really going to kill you for this, Lance."

"Come on, loosen up, enjoy it." He patted Keith's back and opened the back of the booth so the Commander could step in. The window hadn't been taken out of the front yet, and security actually had to hold back the women, until the booth was in operation. "You got a great crowd."

"Murder you in your sleep."

Lance grinned. "Okay, when you're ready just flip that switch and the window will lower. Take their ticket first, and put it in the basket at your feet. They have to have a ticket to get a kiss."

"Strangle you with your own belt."

Lance patted his shoulder again and stepped out of the booth."I'll be monitoring your Vocom. If it gets to be too much, you know the code word."

"Phoenix."

"Good." Lance turned away.

"Phoenix."

"You got it." Lance smirked at Keith's look of panic.

"Phoenix, Lance!"

"Dude, you gotta at least try for an hour. Come on. These ladies paid good money for their tickets and it all goes to the kid's home." He stepped out. "Try to think of it as a training exercise on patience."

"Or torture resistance?"

"Sure! Whatever works." Lance stepped out, then turned back and offered Keith a small yellow tube.

Keith took it. "What is this?"

"Chap stick, you'll need it."

Keith glared at his Lieutenant as the back door of the booth closed with a quiet click. Boiling in oil. Yes, that was what he'd do to Lance. He'd bring back the old punishments.

Keith closed his eyes and wet his lips, prayed, probably for the first time ever, that Lotor or a Robeast would attack.

Finally, the sounds of the crowd outside forced him to open the window. His eyes widened. Oh, crap! There had to be hundreds of them, lined up, possibly thousands!

"Just two hours," he muttered and put on his best military face. Two hours, Commander, you've faced worse. You can do this.

A teenage girl was the first to the booth, waving her ticket excitedly. "Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! You're Commander Kogane!" She offered him her ticket with a trembling hand. "C...Can I have my kiss please?"

She was, mildly adorable, Keith thought as he took her ticket and leaned down to kiss her cheek.

She touched her cheek as if it had become a sacred shroud and her eyes grew wider. "Oh, wow."

The security guard smirked at Keith and gently moved the dazed girl out of the line, moving the next one forward. Keith didn't get it. He just didn't get what the big deal about him was. He was just a pilot and security specialist. What was all the fuss about?

They next ten girls were also teenagers, had they camped out over night or something? He shuddered at the thought. Then he had a mother step up with a girl of about three in her arms.

"Commander," she smiled, shyly and handed him two tickets. "Lexi is your biggest fan."

He couldn't help but smile at the wide-eyed blond girl, in a knock off party tiara and a pretty pink dress. "Looks like she also likes the Princess."

"Oh yes, her room is covered in Princess Memorabilia."

"I'm gonna fly Blue Lion!" Lexi insisted bravely, and then cuddled against her mother's shoulder.

"Well, that's certainly something to work towards."

"She'd like a hug, Commander. I know it's a kissing booth, and we're not supposed to touch you other than for the kiss, but I promised her."

Keith held out his arms, it wouldn't be the first time he'd held a toddler. "Well, hugs are free for anyone in training for the Voltron Force."

She went to him hesitantly at first, then wrapped her arms around his neck with more strength than he gave her credit for. She gave him a noisy kiss on the cheek then giggled and pulled at his hair.

"Hey now, hair pulling is extra."

She giggled again as she was passed back to her mother.

"You are so kind, Commander, thank you."

"It's my pleasure." He held up her two tickets. "And two kisses for mom then."

She flushed, prettily, ran a smoothing hand over her hair as she set Lexi on her hip and leaned in. Keith kissed her twice, quickly, on the lips and watched her color darken. "Oh, my. T...thank you, again, Commander."

He nodded and watched them be escorted off with a smile. His smile quickly faded as the next woman tossed him her ticket, reached in and grabbed him by the tunic and almost hauled him across the window for a kiss that lasted a hell of a lot longer than three seconds!

Christ! He thought as the woman was finally pulled back by security. He ran a hand over his hair and straightened his tunic. He'd rather have the nice young mothers and babies! So much for the easy part.

"A reminder ladies," one of the security detail called out to the lain. "You may not touch the Commander. You may present your ticket, then lean forward with your hands behind your back and receive your kiss. If there are any more incidents involving touching the Commander's person, the booth will be closed."

There was a collective grumbling and Keith felt his face flush with heat. Yeah, thanks Yan, that didn't make him feel uncomfortable at all!

* * *

Lance was at his security station, using his sensor goggles to keep an eye on the sky, and every now and then he'd glance down at the kissing booth and chuckle. Poor bastard. He had to give Keith credit, it had been over an hour and the Commander hadn't given the signal to come get him out. Maybe he was starting to enjoy it, although knowing Keith, it was more just trying to prove he could make it through. He was intensely competitive and didn't like to show weakness.

A movement close to him caught his attention and he smiled down at his visitor. "Good morning, Princess."

"How is he doing?" she asked, chewing her lower lip.

"He seems to be adjusting."

"He must be very angry with me."

"No, he's angry with me, which he is about half of the time, so it's all good."

"Lance, I know you told me that this was just a...a basic, fun charity tactic on Earth, and it certainly did earn us a lot of money so far, but you know the Commander isn't the most..."

"Friendly? Affectionate? Forthcoming? Fun?"

She smirked and put her hand on her hip. "Now look, he's just...reserved. You shouldn't make fun of him!"

"I've always made fun of him. It's my job."

"Well I...I don't want anyone teasing him about this, understood? So spread the word."

He saluted her. "At your command, Princess." He smirked and handed her the goggles. "Wanna see how he's doing?"

After a moment's hesitation she accepted and peered through the lenses. "My...there's quite the line up." Her throat tightened and her stomach constricted. All those women kissing her Keith...Her Keith! When had she started thinking of him as hers?

A very tall, voluptuous woman, with long flaming red hair intricately braided around her head and down her back stepped up to the booth. She handed her ticket to Keith then dramatically slapped her hands behind her back and leaned as far forward as she could, giving the Commander an ample view of her barely concealed bosom, and pursed her lips outlandishly.

Allura's hands tightened on the glasses in sympathy, knowing that Keith didn't care for such overt gestures and would be horribly embarrassed. She was therefore stunned when Keith actually smiled, a real smile not one of his fake officer smiles, caught the woman's face between his hands and kissed her hard on the lips. And it lasted for much longer than three seconds!

Allura's eyes widened when they both came out of the kiss laughing. They seemed to speak for a few moments before security tried to move her along. Keith had caught her hand as she turned away, brought it to his lips and the woman beamed at him.

"Who is that woman?" she demanded suddenly and handed the goggles to Lance.

"What woman?"

"The one that was just kissing Keith. Tall, red hair."

Lance scanned the line up, the crowd, but didn't see anyone with that description. "I don't see her. Do you think she's a threat?"

Absolutely, Allura thought, but not to Arus; to her. "No. No, I...the Commander seemed to know her."

* * *

Keith was relieved when Red Lion dropped down beside Black and Lance stepped out. "Shift change ladies," he said with, what he hoped was an apologetic smile, and not one filled with relief, as he closed the window on the protesting line. He leaned against the booth as Lance walked in. "You're late!"

"By three minutes!" Lance scoffed and patted the Commander's shoulder. "So, you made it through, hey. I'm proud of you, Keith."

"Piss off." Keith batted Lance's arm away, but he was smirking as he said it. "You're still gonna pay." He tossed Lance the chap stick, had been glad he'd had it actually. "You'll need this."

"Ah, and the pupil surpasses the master." Lance offered Keith a slight bow as they traded places. "The Princess wants to see you."

"What about?"

"No idea."

"Well, I'll check in after Black and I take a quick patrol around."

"All work and no play..."

"Ah, see, that's where you and I differ, Lance." Keith moved to the open mouth of Black Lion. "This was work, now I get to go play."

Lance laughed and waved as Black rose into the air a few minutes later.

Keith arrived at the Princess office an hour and a half later. He had about fifteen minutes before he had to get back out and cover for Hunk who would be in the booth next.

He knocked on the door and wondered if she would be upset he had kept her waiting? It couldn't be helped. Having been stuck in that booth for half the morning, he'd needed to check on all the security details and sensor arrays. It wasn't that he didn't trust his team to keep the proper vigil, he just preferred to double check himself.

At her command to enter he stepped inside. She was in one of her pink presentation gowns, and as he recalled her schedule, knew she had made several appearances at the charity fair. He'd been annoyed that he hadn't been the one escorting her, but the matter had been taken out of his hands.

"You wished to see me, Princess?"

"Yes, Keith." She turned, smiled at him. "Won't you have a seat?"

He wondered if she even realized how radiant she was when she smiled? Instead, he stood at parade rest with his hands behind his back. "I'm afraid I can't stay long, Princess. I have to go cover for Hunk."

"Oh. Of course." She moved to the small tea service she'd had brought in to them, poured two cups. "You can have some tea at least?"

Keith didn't like tea, but he accepted the cup when she handed it to him."Thank you."

"Keith, are you angry with me?"

He politely raised the cup to his lips. "Angry?"

"Yes. About this whole kissing booth thing?" She settled on the small sofa and tried not to flutter her hands. "Lance said it was an old Earth custom, one you would be familiar with and that you wouldn't mind participating in."

"I'm not angry with you, Princess." He finished taking his sip.

"I know you were upset about having to do it..."

"I wasn't upset." The lie was so obviously he felt his heat flush, and set the tea down. "I just thought my energies were better contained to security and the castle's defense. That is why I am here."

"I know, and I understand that." She rose and moved to stand close to him. "I truly do appreciate the effort, the charity did raise a good deal of money and it was partly because of you."

He scoffed, and then pulled himself back into his usual reserve. "I'm glad I could be of service." He paused when she didn't say anything else. "Was there anything else, Princess?"

She sighed and looked away. "You are angry with me."

He sighed. "I...I'm not, Princess. Seriously, I am not angry with you."

She turned back, her eyes wide and pleading. "Was it truly horrible for you? I never meant to cause you discomfort or embarrassment, Keith. Honestly I didn't. I thought it would be fun for you. Lance told me it would be fun."

"Princess, outside of military operations, you need to take everything Lance says with a pound of salt."

Her forehead furrowed. "I don't understand."

"Just...just come and ask me next time he gets a...next time he suggests something that he claims I might like."

"I honestly don't understand why he would wish to embarrass you like this."

"Because he's my friend."

"That makes no sense, Keith."

He smirked. "I know. Think of it as another old Earth custom." He glanced at the time on his Vocom. "I really need to go."

"Oh, yes, of course." She walked him to the door. "Thank you again for supporting my charity, Commander. It will mean the world to those kids."

"Anything for you, Princess." He nodded politely and stepped out.

Allura watched the door slide shut, then pulled out her small ticket. She'd purchased it as a lark, hoping it would make him smile, and she had so wanted to ask for her kiss, but she sensed it probably wasn't the time and once he was inside her office had completely lost her nerve.

With a sigh, she set it on her desk, then went to her calendar to see where she was needed next.


	3. Chapter 3

_Thank you for reading and reviewing, I am glad you are enjoying the story. I am certainly enjoying writing it. Thought I'd throw a little 'minx' into the works, let me know what you think. :0 Ah Lance, I love writing dialogue for Lance, but am I getting him in character? hmmm._

* * *

**CHAPTER THREE**

The Voltron pilots entered their usual rec-room, discussing that morning's training session.

"Black is still a little shaky on the controls, Pidge," Keith advised the smaller pilot. "Run a diagnostic see what is wrong."

"Will do," Pidge promised.

"That triple turn you did today was awesome, Princess!" Hunk admitted.

"Thank you, Hunk. It's something I've been working on for awhile."

"Hey, Kogane!"

Everyone stopped and turned to see a tall redhead in a black and gold, skin-tight mini-dress and dark glasses. A shimmering multi-colored sash was tied over one shoulder and around her waist.

Keith's face brightened considerably. "Hey, Zale!" He strode to her, she met him half way, and despite being about the same height as he, launched herself into his arms and gave a throaty laugh as he plucked her up and spun her around. "I can't believe your here!"

The woman cupped his cheek, affectionately. "I'm here to rescue you," she insisted in a husky voice that oozed sex. "I can't believe they've demoted you to Castle Kisser."

Keith threw back his head and laughed, then remembered his team members, who were all outwardly gaping at him. He turned, keeping his arm around the woman's waist. "Everyone this is the second best fighter pilot..."

"Excuse me! Are you still under the impression you are better than me in a cockpit?"

"It's not an impression, it's a fact."

She leaned in and whispered, loud enough that everyone could still hear her. "We'll see about that."

Keith grinned and continued. "Commander Velene Zale..."

She nudged him with her elbow. "Captain."

His eyes widened at her. "When?"

She smirked. "A week ago."

"My apologies, _Captain_." He winked at her, then turned back to his team. "Velene and I went to the academy together. Ve, this is the Voltron Team..."

Allura listened as Keith introduced them all and kept a smile pasted on her face as the woman. She had never seen Keith so openly happy and he hadn't taken his hands off of her from the moment they had embraced. He knew her from the academy, was this the second girlfriend he had told her about?

"And this is Princess Allura of Arus, also pilot of the Blue Lion."

"Your Majesty." Velene executed a perfect curtsy for the Princess. "It is a great honor to meet you."

Allura put on her Princess face. "Thank you. All friends of the Voltron Force are welcome here. Will you be on Arus long? We could prepare a room for you, if you like, so that you and Commander Kogane can visit properly."

Velene blinked at the invitation. Ohhh, sister, someone has her claws out. She usually didn't read anyone without their permission, unless it involved a mission, but the dark waves of jealousy emanating off the Princess almost knocked her over.

She glanced at Keith, who was, as usual, completely oblivious. Hmmm, this could be highly entertaining.

"Well, I don't know." She turned into Keith, put her hand on his chest, leaned close and pouted. "Maybe he doesn't want me to hang around?"

"Oh, absolutely not. I can't stand you." Keith grinned at her. "And if you believe that..."

She laughed and turned back to the slow simmering Princess. "In that case I'll accept that room, your Majesty."

Allura nodded and kept her face and voice neutral, despite the pain and hurt chorusing through her. "I'll have arrangements made immediately."

They all settled in the seating area with Keith and Velene on the sofa, Lance on her other side and Hunk in an adjacent chair. Pidge took his usual spot on the coffee table.

"Ah, okay, so...Velene," Lance began as he grinned at his Commander. "Whatever you're doing to him, share, because he's practically glowing."

Keith reached across the back of Velene and slapped Lance in the head. "Knock it off."

"Hey, Lieu's right," Hunk assured. "I don't think any of us have ever even heard him laugh like that before." He looked at Pidge. "Little Buddy?"

Pidge adjusted his glasses and took a more diplomatic approach. "He does seem unusually happy to see you, Captain Zale."

"Oh, just Velene is fine," she assured, leaned forward and squeezed the scientist's knee, causing spots of pink to appear on Pidge's cheeks. "I feel like I already know you all from Kei's letters."

Lance's eyebrows disappeared into his hairline. "Letters?" He grinned again. "Our fearless Commander writes you letters?"

She laughed and watched Keith shift uncomfortable and glower at the other man. "Well data transmissions anyway." She put her hand on Keith's knee and smiled adorably at him. "At least once a month, right Kei?"

Keith cleared his throat. "They're just...Velene is part of Admiral Kuntin's fleet, she keeps me informed on what is happening on the outer sectors, including what is going on with Planet Doom."

"Really, Commander?" Lance sighed and shook his head. "You have the attention of an exquisitely beautiful woman on the other side of the galaxy, and all you can do is talk about military strategy and updates?"

"Oh, that isn't all we talk about," Velene chuckled and felt the mental nudge that Keith gave her. Okay, okay, she nudged back, letting him know she would behave. "As I said, he's told me all about you and how important you all are to the safety of Arus and in fact the galaxy."

"He never tells us we're important," Hunk grunted, loving the pink that was starting to flush his Commander's cheeks. "Sometimes we wonder if he even cares at all."

"Yeah, he's yells at us a lot," Pidge said, jumping on the bandwagon.

"Where's the love, Keith?" Lance asked, dramatically causing the others to howl with laughter when Keith only glared at them.

"You want more attention, fine. The lions need a complete scrub down, inside and outside." Keith watched the laughter slowly die, replaced by mild looks of horror and chagrin. "Get started. Now!"

Pidge and Hunk popped up at his bark and head for the door.

Lance stood at a more leisurely pace and smirked. "Do you see what we have to put up with, Velene?"

"I can think of a few more chores, Lieutenant. Should I start a list for you?"

"No, no, I'm going." Lance bowed and admitted defeat gracefully. "Captain Zale, a pleasure." He winked at her, then to Keith. "Commander Grumpy Ass, not so much."

Lance caught the pillow that Keith tossed at him and laughed as he headed out.

"They're exactly as you described them," Velene smiled. "Except for Allura. You didn't tell me she was so beautiful."

He shrugged. "She's a Princess."

"Yes, but I've seen my share of ugly Princesses." She grinned and poked his chest. "Remember that one...oh, what was her name...Zarfblat or Zaghag...from the planet Turlinon?"

Keith chuckled. "Zhakthat."

He shuddered as he remembered the dark skinned princess with enormous ridges across her forehead, four thin spirally tentacles protruding from her head to represent hair, a pig-like snout and enormous lips. When she smiled, a set of razor sharp buck teeth could be seen.

"I...I think she was considered beautiful by her own race."

"Well, she sure had it bad for you."

"Don't remind me. I had nightmares about her for weeks."

Velene laughed. "And...remember when she tr...tried to kiss you?"

"She did kiss me! I thought she was going to swallow me whole!"

"A...and you had to stand there and take it because...because the General ordered us all to...cooperate!"

"Well, that didn't include her coming to my room and climbing into my bed. I made sure she understood then that I was absolutely not interested."

"Poor Kei, you always have to beat the women off with a stick."

"Oh shut up." He smirked. "So, how long can you stay?"

"I have to get back to my ship day after tomorrow."

"What brings you to Arus, anyway? Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

"I was on leave, on my way back from Earth and thought I'd stop in."

"Everything okay back home?"

"Pop died. I had to go home and take care of his funeral."

"Oh, Ve." He turned, pulled her into his arms. "I'm so sorry." He had greatly admired Fleet Admiral Zale, who had been one of his instructors at the academy.

"He'd been sick for awhile," she assured and pulled back, pulled his hands into hers. "He asked about you."

"He did?"

She nodded. "He knew you were flying the Black Lion, leading Voltron." She smiled, squeezed his hands and met his eyes. "He was so very proud of you, Keith."

Keith felt his throat well up. "He was a great man." He cupped her cheek. "He was certainly proud of you."

"Yeah. Yeah, I got lucky. He told me all the time. After my folks died and he decided to raise me...well. I got lucky." She smirked. "You know, he always held onto the hope that you and I would get married."

Keith frowned. "You never told him?"

She shook her head. "I think he knew. Over the years, I think he figured it out but no, I never told him. He was strictly military, he wouldn't have approved."

"He loved you, Ve. He would have understood."

She shrugged. "Well, it's too late now anyway."

Seeing the sadness in her eyes, Keith pulled her against him again. "I'm really glad you're here."

"Me too."

Allura stated at the couple embracing on the recreation room sofa and let the door close again. She hadn't meant to intrude on them, she thought everyone was still there. Keith really seemed to like Velene; she had to be the girl he spoke of before.

Trying to ignore the ache in her heart, she wandered back to her chambers.


	4. Chapter 4

_Thanks to those of you who reviewed, I am having a good deal of fun writing this so I hope you are all enjoying it.  
_

* * *

**CHAPTER FOUR**

Allura entered the rec room to search for the pin she was missing and spotted a figure laying on one of the sofas. She walked over and smiled down at Keith, who was stretched out, one leg raised, the other straight. His left arm draped loosely over his waist, his right was curved above his head.

She sat down on the coffee table and drank her fill of him. He looked peaceful in sleep, and even younger than he usually appeared. She knew that he had been up late with his friend Captain Zale. Keith had taken Velene for a ride on the back of his motorcycle after dinner, and Allura had seen them from her room return to the castle sometime after midnight.

What had they been doing all that time, she wondered, and then flushed when the obvious suspicion crossed her mind. Her gut twisted at the idea that Keith had been with another woman, but she supposed she couldn't tell him not to be. He was different with Velene, so open and happy. It had to be love, didn't it?

She thought, sometimes, just sometimes, that he liked her as more than just a teammate and friend, but it was based only on the occasional look or the a comment he absently made, and nothing substantial. Of course, he had kissed her cheek on the balcony of her chambers, but that two was inconclusive. Lance had kissed her cheek too, and she his, but she knew that Lance only considered her a friend.

She leaned forward, unable to stop herself from carefully stroking his hair. She liked it better long, but the guys had harassed him about having a mullet and so he had cut it horribly short in back; at least he had kept some of the length for the top.

She wanted to kiss him, she realized with a sudden urgency. As he slept so peacefully, looking like a prince out of a fairy tale, she wanted to know what it felt like to touch her lips to his.

Did she dare? What if he woke up, or someone came in and saw her? How would she explain it? It would be so embarrassing if Keith woke and became upset with her, or worse, pitied her because she had feelings for him.

She brushed her fingers through his hair again, smiled when he didn't move. Maybe...just this once?

She leaned forward, watching in case Keith opened his eyes, then cautiously pressed her lips to his. Her eyes fluttered close for that brief wonderful moment. So soft! He had such soft lips. She heard Keith moan and pulled back, her eyes flying open, guiltily, then sighed when his stayed closed.

"Oh, hey Prin..."

"Ssssh!" she hissed at Hunk as the large pilot of the Yellow Lion entered. She indicated the sleeping Commander as she rose.

"Oh, sorry," he whispered. "Is he okay?" The Commander didn't usually take naps that he knew of.

She nodded. "He was out late last night, and then we had that Robeast attack first thing this morning, so he is probably tired."

"Yeah, we're all tired. So..." Hunk glanced over at his sleeping friend, then smiled at Allura. "What'cha doin' in here, Princess?"

Allura flushed. "I...I was looking for a broach that I was missing. I had it on last night, and remember I was wearing it in here, so thought I'd check if it had slipped off...in here...or something."

"Space Mice probably nabbed it."

"Yes, probably." She agreed and moved to the door. "I'll go check with them."

"I'll come with, they may also have the wrench I'm looking for."

Keith's eyes opened the moment the rec-room door slid shut. He stared up at the ceiling for a long moment, trying to gather his thoughts. He hadn't been sleeping, but when Allura had come in he felt it would be better to pretend he was so he wouldn't disturb her. He recognized the sweet scent of her perfume the moment she settled close to him, and then when he felt her fingers in his hair he was going to open his eyes, but felt it might embarrass them both at that point.

When she kissed him he'd been too stunned to move, and then...then he didn't want her to stop. He'd responded before he could help it and that was when she pulled away. It was horrible of him to not open his eyes, to not tell her he was awake, but he hadn't wanted to embarrass either of them.

He groaned, swung his legs to the floor and sat up, dropping his head in his hands. Why had she kissed him? Did Allura actually have feelings for him? He knew she'd had a little crush on him when he first became leader of Voltron, but that was years ago and she was too old for crushes now, wasn't she?

He on the other hand, had been too old for crushes when they had met, and had slowly been falling in love with her since that day. They couldn't be together, of course. She was a Princess, would one day be Queen of Arus. He had no place in that, he was just a military pilot from Earth; hardly suitor material for a Queen.

"Kogan!"

He glanced over as Velene entered, wearing a long flowing dress of green and silver that hugged every curve. She sashayed over and sat beside him.

"You were supposed to come take me to dinner."

He looked at his watch and groaned. "Sorry." He rose and held his arm out to her. "We're only a little late."

She scowled at him. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Kei. I'm an empath, but I don't have to be one to see that something is bothering you."

He sighed and dropped down on the sofa again. He knew that Kei would never read him without his permission, but he occasionally let her feel enough that he wouldn't have to explain himself verbally. He had done that yesterday when they were talking with his team, he'd opened himself just enough that she received the smallest flicker of his discomfort, and she had stopped trying to embarrass him.

"I've just...I've just got something that I need to...work out. That's all."

"Things that involve a certain golden haired princess?"

"No."

Velene smiled, his answer was too quick to be true. "She's very pretty."

"She's a Princess..."

"She's also a woman, Kei." She nudged him with her elbow. "As I'm sure you've noticed."

He rose, slid his hands into his pockets and moved to stare out of one of the panoramic windows. "I'm not supposed to notice, Ve. I'm not permitted to."

"Oh, bull pucky." She moved to stand behind him. "She likes you..."

"Don't!" He warned her. "You shouldn't be reading her, Velene."

She lifted her hands in peace. "I wasn't trying to, Keith, honestly, but your Princess was pretty...um...emotional yesterday. I couldn't have kept her feelings out with a laser grid."

He turned to her. "Emotional? Is she okay?"

"You just scolded me for reading her." She smirked. "Now you want me to tell you what she was feeling."

"I know but...She's not upset or anything is she? We've had a lot of attacks lately and I'm sure she's worried about Lotor being back, but I would never let him take her, Ve. I'd kill him first."

Velene stared at him, saw the determination, the fury light those magnificent blue eyes of his, and sighed "You've got it bad, don't you?"

He scowled. "What are you talking about?"

"You're in love with the Princess, aren't you Keith?"

"No!"

Again, far too quick in his response. Velene put her hand on his chest. "It's okay, honey. You're allowed to have feelings, and you're allowed to find a woman to spend your life with."

"I can't spend my life with her, Velene. She's set to be the Queen of Arus."

"So?"

"She's not in my league. She's not even in my stratosphere."

"You're the Leader of Voltron! Defender of the universe!" She grinned, reached behind and patted him. "And you've got a great ass. You're more than her equal."

He flushed and gently smacked her hand away. "Those are not qualifications to date a member of the royal family of Arus."

"Oh hooey, you're just trying to make trouble for yourself, as you always do."

"What...what is that supposed to mean?"

"Every time someone tries to get close to you, or you start to really like someone, especially a woman, you start finding reasons of why it wouldn't work. Why you're not worthy, or how it could possibly lead to dire consequences. You close yourself off like some...some celibate monk and pretend that you're doing the honourable thing for them, when all you're really doing is avoiding getting laid."

Keith's face darkened, his eyes narrowed to slits. "I got laid with you, didn't I?"

She flashed him a sultry grin. "Yes. Yes you did, and it is one of my very favourite memories." She sobered and took his hand, ignored the tremble of anger she felt there. "But I had to trick you into it. You found every excuse to avoid being alone with me, because you knew I wanted you, and you wanted me, you were just too scared to admit it."

"I wasn't scared, Velene. We were at the academy to learn not to screw around." Her seductive smile returned and he flushed. "You know what I mean!"

"All you cared about were grades and procedures and earning your officer's rank." She stepped closer and cupped his face. "All you did was study and spar and spend time in the simulators."

"I was there to become a pilot..."

"We were all there to become pilots, but everyone else took down time, Keith. Everyone else spent time with friends or developed relationships. Everyone except you."

"I was fine!"

"You were lonely as hell and on your way to burn out." She snapped back.

She had just started learning how to block people's emotions back then, and the horrific aloneness that emanated from the quiet, dark haired cadet had devastated her. It had clung to him like a massive gaseous cloud, following him everywhere he went. Such fear and anger, such confusion and doubt and so much aching loneliness.

He ate alone, he slept alone. He studied alone. He never went to the clubs or bars like the other cadets during casual time. He never spoke unless spoken to, but he always answered correctly and concisely in class. He excelled in the classroom, but never bragged about it. And those that were jealous of his success tried to defeat him physically, by jumping him in corridors or cornering him a study room with three of their friends. They could never get him off campus, because he rarely left campus.

During one such attack, he put two cadets in the hospital, which he was cleared of any wrong doing as there had been five cadets attacking him. Most people learned to stay away from him after that, which just increased his isolation and his separation from the other cadets and earned him a reputation for being a hard ass, or a jerk.

Velene had watched girl after girl try to approach him, flirt with him. The female cadets were always attracted to bad boys, even the alien ones, and Keith's reputation made him into just that. He was broody, sullen, a loner and incredibly good looking. They used to line up at the gym to watch him work out, herself included, and then giggled about it afterwards.

Then, one day, a couple of jerks had rammed into her, knocking the boxes of lab samples she had been carrying all over the floor. They had run off, but Keith had crouched to help her gather them, he'd been the only one to bother. He had touched her arm and asked if she was okay, and that was when she felt the attraction he had for her. Because she was still learning to dampen her abilities, she could tell when he felt the attraction she had for him mirrored back. His eyes had widened for a moment in surprise, then he gave her the rest of her supplies, rose and left.

Any other boy would have acted on that feeling, on knowing that a girl he liked also liked him back, but not Keith Kogane. He started avoiding her and refused to make eye contact in the class room or mess halls. Taking matters into her own hands, she pretended to slip while climbing out of a flight simulator as he was walking by. He caught her, of course, and she'd wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. He'd resisted for all of thirty seconds, before giving in to all that pent up emotion and the constant barrage of cravings his body felt every time he was near her.

They'd had sex right there, on the floor of the simulator room; it was late and no one had been in there but the two of them. The fear of being caught heightened their need for each other and it had been amazing. Afterwards, she just started showing up in his room, and, after the first couple of nights, he stopped trying to get her to leave.

She smiled up at Keith, ruefully. "You needed an outlet or you were going to explode, honey."

"So you thought a few months of pity sex would change my life?"

"You know better than that." She shook her head sadly. I could sense you were attracted to me, as I was to you. It was to our mutual benefit, even if I did have to persuade you."

He could feel the caress of her empathy reaching for him, asking to be accepted, asking to be let in, and he found himself allowing it, ashamed when her love touched upon him like the first rays of sunshine across a shadowed field of dying wildflowers.

Sighing, he accepted her embrace as she folded her arms around him. "I'm sorry. I don't know what I'm saying anymore, what I'm thinking."

"Love does that, it's one of the less than ideal side effects."

"I did need it," he admitted softly. "Then, you, us. I don't even know why I fought it for so long."

"I do, but that's a conversation for another time." She smiled, held his gaze. "Don't make the same mistake with the Princess, Kei."

He released her and stepped away. "The Princess is an entirely different matter."

"Not really," she sighed not wanting to argue further. "But, you'll figure that out for yourself." She slid her arm through his again, leaned her head on his shoulder playfully. "You know, you completely ruined me for other men, Keith."

He laughed, as she had intended. "You never had any other men." He smiled down at her. "But thank you."

She grinned as they headed for the door.


	5. Chapter 5

_Thank you everyone- **cubbieBlueMako, Limetwist, Guest, Paulina Ann, Cpt. Kallan Beyda, peacockF **and** lyna14** for the reviews! I appreciate it so so much! Don't worry, Keith and Allura's time is coming soon, as is the point where she cashes in her ticket! I hope you will all stay tuned.  
_

* * *

**CHAPTER FIVE**

Pidge entered the castle's observatory, intending to check the satellite connections, and was only mildly surprised to see the raven-haired man seated on the ledge of the main window screen looking out. That was Keith's favourite place to think, although he was probably the only one who knew about it.

"Don't mind me," Pidge said as he went about his task. "Be gone in three minutes."

"It's fine," Keith assured quietly and leaned his head back against the wall behind him.

Pidge finished up his adjustments, then glanced back at the brooding Commander. If it were anyone else, any of his other friends he would ask they wanted to talk, but Keith didn't _talk_ to anyone. Unless it was regarding Voltron.

"Okay, well, see ya." Pidge moved back to the door and he was about to step out when he heard Keith say his name. He turned back. "Yes, Commander?"

Keith looked like he was about to say something, then he shook his head and turned back to the window. "Good night."

Pidge sighed. "Night."

Keith turned his attention back to the view below the window, where Princess Allura was wandering in the gardens. She hadn't been at dinner with the others, and it surprised him that he had missed her. They ate and then Velene was talked into a game of cards with the team. Keith had not been in the mood to play games, so he claimed to have some work to do and wandered off. Velene jokingly teased him about going off to brood and the others had laughed.

He had gone to his office to work, but found he couldn't concentrate, and after an hour or so had ended up here, alone and brooding. He had spotted Allura wandering the castle gardens alone and had to force himself not to call one of the team to go be with her. He didn't like it when she was outside alone, it wasn't safe, but he also knew that his over protectiveness sometimes annoyed her, so he quelled the desire to do so, for now.

He could go down, under the guise of a security escort, but he wasn't quite sure what to say to her. He couldn't stop thinking about the kiss in the rec-room, and he couldn't out-right ask her about it because if he did she would know he had been awake. He didn't want to embarrass her. He would never do anything to embarrass her.

What if it had been just a lark for her, the same way she sometimes ruffled his hair or poked him in the ribs as she passed, trying to get a reaction? Of course, what kind of reaction was she hoping for if she thought he was asleep?

He groaned and ran his hand through his hair. When had this become so freaking complicated? When had he started to let his feelings for the Princess get in the way of his duty to her, and to Arus?

He looked up as Velene entered. "I blame you."

She smiled and walked over to him. "Whatever helps you sleep at night." Instead of waiting for him to pull both his legs down so she could settle on the ledge beside him, she simply slid in between the leg he lowered and the one still on the ledge, pulled his arms around her waist and leaned back against his chest.

"Comfortable?"

"Quite." She tilted her head to look at him. "You?"

"Would it matter?"

"Nope."

He smirked and gently nipped her neck. Velene was the only one he had ever been truly comfortable with, enough to let his guard down, well most of it anyway. She was the kind who enjoyed touching others, it was her entire state of being when she cared for someone, to hug or touch or cuddle, with no expectations expected or warranted.

She looked down at the garden. "Ah, that's what's got you so grumpy."

"I'm not grumpy."

"It's okay. I'd be grumpy too if there was a beautiful woman wandering in a sweet smelling garden, on a moonlit night, while I was up here in a tower, afraid to make a move."

Keith remained silent.

"Oh come on, where's your sense of humor? Did all that time running as a fugitive kill it?"

"When are you leaving?"

"Here's your hat, what's your hurry?" She threw her head back and laughed. "Are you telling me to get lost, Commander?"

"No." He leaned his head back against the ledge again. "I'm not good company right now, Velene."

"You're never good company. Luckily my sparkling personality compensates for that."

"Gee, thanks."

She smiled and looked out the window again. "Why don't you go down there, Keith? It's a beautiful night for a stroll and she looks like she could use the company."

"It wouldn't be appropriate."

Velene rolled her eyes. "Honestly? You're sworn to protect her or some such crap aren't you?"

"Yeah, some such."

"Well, get to protecting, man! She could be stung by a bee..."

"There are no bees on Arus."

"She could be eaten by a Venus flytrap, or attacked by a cactus!" She reached behind her to gently smack his head. "Garden's are dangerous places, young man, you can't leave her down there unprotected."

He sighed. "You're nuts, you know that right?"

"Of course! How else do you think I got my Captain's bars?" She rose, then turned and kissed him lightly on the lips. "Go to her, Keith."

"And say what? Excuse me, Princess, my good friend Captain Zale is concerned you may be accosted by a rampaging plant? Come on!"

"No. You say, Allura, my darling Princess, you are beautiful in the moonlight." She dropped down on one knee and grabbed Keith's hand, kissed it. "Let me take you away from all of this, my room's just upstairs."

"Oh yeah! Absolutely!" Keith barked in laughter and snatched his hand away. "That would only get me arrested, court-martialled and ejected off planet."

"Really?" Velene rose. "She's that stuck up?"

"She's not stuck up, Velene, she's the Princess of Arus, not a barfly in a sleazy saloon. Her handlers would go into orbit."

"She's also a woman, Keith, and I am betting the only one she wants handling her is you."

He regarded her quietly for a long moment. "Is your diagnoses based on speculation or what you're reading on her, Ve?"

"It's based on what I can see with my own two eyes. What everyone can see and what you're too stubborn to open your eyes to see."

"You're wrong..."

"Okay, prove me wrong. Go down there. If she walks away or dismisses you, I'm wrong, but if she doesn't..." She put her hand on his shoulder. "If she asks you to stay, if she smiles and seems happy to see you, then you know I'm right."

"She would never dismiss me. We're friends..."

"Then as her friend go down there! No woman wants to walk in a garden alone, Keith and if she is doing that, it's only because she is thinking about having someone walk in it with her."

"Then I should leave her to her fantasy, shouldn't I?"

"Not if her fantasy is you, you thick headed moron!"

Keith turned back to the window. "It's not." But what about the kiss, his heart screamed. What had it mean when she kissed him?

"Oh!" Velene through her hands up in frustration. "I...you..." She moved forward, grabbed him and kissed him full on the mouth, then just as quickly released him. "There...how was that?"

He stared at her, confused. "Nice, as always, but..."

"But you felt nothing, right?" When he didn't answer right away she put her hands on his shoulders. "Answer me. You won't hurt my feelings, Keith."

"No. I mean...I...it was nice and I'm fond of you, Ve, but..."

She nodded. "Exactly. We are friends. That is a kiss between friends." She pointed to the window. "Now go down there and find out what a kiss with someone who is not your friend feels like."

"But Allura and I are friends..."

"Keith! You are deliberately being obtuse!"

He was, she had him there and the smile slipped out before he could stop it. "You're so excitable, Ve." He flinched as she punched him hard in the chest.

* * *

Allura plucked a purple and white flower from its stem, then sighed and settled on one of the garden benches. She liked Velene well enough, found her intelligent and witty, but she really wished the woman would just go away. It was uncharitable of her to wish for it, but she couldn't help doing so.

She'd seen women fawn over Keith before, as well as the other members of Voltron, but Keith had never shown any interest in them, not as he did with Velene. She wished he could be that way with her, laughing and playful and... open to possibilities.

It was obvious that he cared a great deal for Velene, and considering the fact the Commander had never spoken of the woman before, she couldn't help wonder if there was more to their relationship than just friends. Keith was intensely private about his personal life, it made sense if this woman was his lover, or had been, and so he deliberately never mentioned her.

She wondered what it would be like to be so free thinking and fun loving as Velene. As a Princess she could never get away with such behaviour, touching the men so intimately, pressing up against them, flirting with them. And her comments! Some of Velene's comments were more brazen than the ones Lance sometimes spouted.

Perhaps that was the type of woman that Keith preferred? A confident, bold, sultry woman who wasn't afraid to show she was a woman, instead of a reserved, diplomatic and fussed over Princess. She could never be as brash as Velene, so where did that leave her in Keith's affections?

"Allura?"

She turned, startled and saw the object of her thoughts walking towards her. She flushed. "Good...evening, Commander." She saw him pause, as if confused.

"I..." Why was she using his rank, and why did she look so guilty? He swallowed what he was going to say and fell back on his usual standard. "You shouldn't be wandering out here without a guard."

She nodded and looked down at her flower. "I know, I just wanted to be alone."

So, Velene had been wrong. He took no comfort in it. "I'll leave you to it then." He turned and started walking back the way he had come.

"Keith?"

He turned back to her, saw she had risen from the bench. She walked towards him, slowly. "I'll go back inside with you."

He nodded, waited for her to reach him and they started walking back towards the castle. She seemed so melancholy, and he didn't understand why. "That's a pretty flower," he offered trying to find a way to lighten her mood. "You have a dress almost that same colour, don't you?"

She did and she was touched that he noticed. But then, Keith noticed everything; well almost everything. "Yes."

Keith frowned as they entered the castle. She obviously had something on her mind, and it wasn't his place to pry.

"When does Velene go back?"

"Tomorrow. I said I'd fly her up in Black, she wants to have a look inside." He paused as she scowled. "If that's okay?"

"He's your lion, Commander. You can take whoever you like in him."

Keith frowned, back to Commander again. He turned to her as they reached the steps leading up to their room. "Princess, are...are you angry with me for something?"

She blinked, surprised. "No. Why would I be?"

"You just...you've seemed very quiet the past few days."

She shrugged and smelled her flower. "I've got a lot on my mind. I do have an entire planet to run."

"I know, I just...I haven't done anything to upset you have I? Or one of the guys, because if we have..."

"You haven't done anything, Keith."

He stared at her, perplexed. "Princess..."

"Good night, Keith." She started up the stairs.

Keith sighed, watched her until she disappeared across the landing, then wandered back to his office to finish up some work.


	6. Chapter 6

_Thank you everyone for the great reviews, I so appreciate the feedback. This is a longer chapter, divided into two sections. I am so glad you are enjoying Velene! I almost hate to see her go. :(_

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Allura entered the main dining room for breakfast and noticed Velene getting a cup of coffee from one of the food dispensers. With her luxurious red hair pinned in a braided knot atop her head, and her lengthy body covered from head to toe in her green and white military uniform she looked very formidable indeed.

She turned, spotted Allura and smiled. "Good morning, Princess Allura." She lifted her mug in invitation. "Coffee?"

"No, thank you. I don't care for it." Allura moved to a separate food dispenser and retrieved a glass of juice.

"It is an acquired taste." Velene agreed as she settled at one of the tables and crossed one leg over the other. "I blame Kogane. He is the one who got me addicted to it."

Allura curious to learn something new about Keith, even if it was from another woman, asked, "Addicted?" She considered all the coffee she had seen Keith drink over the years. "Is it harmful?"

Velene shook her head. "Not really. It could be when they used to put caffeine in it, but that was a long time ago before such stimulants were outlawed. Now it's more just the flavor I think than anything." She smiled. "It's like chocolate, a little just isn't enough."

"Oh! I've had chocolate!" Allura agreed, forgetting her resentment for a moment as she recalled the colorful boxes that Keith always brought her back from Earth on one of his trips. "It is lovely, and you're right. I did want more of it, after it was all gone."

"Did you get them from the shop on Fifth, in New York?"

"Oh, I'm not sure where Keith bought them, he just..." Allura flushed. "I...I mean, Commander..." Oh dear! Here she was talking about a gift Keith had given to her to a woman who was obviously involved with him. That was terribly insensitive if her,

"Then he got them from the shop on Fifth," Velene smiled and sipped her coffee. "That's the only place he'll buy chocolate."

"I...suppose he's bought you...chocolates many times."

Velene had to respect Allura's attempt at civility, she could feel the waves of jealousy radiating off the Princess. "No, but there was an elderly woman that worked in the library at the academy and he bought her a box on her birthday every year."

"Oh?" Allura blinked, startled. "Were they related or..."

"No, no. She just took a shine to him, probably because he was always studying so he spent a lot of time there. He had a passion for history and for ships and they'd talk for hours about them."

"Well, that was very kind of him."

"It was. Keith only does things like that for very special people."

Allura wondered, because he had brought her chocolates, if he considered her special? She found herself settling at the table across from Velene. "What was he like?" she asked, and then flushed. "I'm sorry. That really isn't my business."

Velene shrugged. "Why not? You care about him, don't you?"

"Oh yes." Allura realized she'd partially sighed her answer and quickly amended in a more authoritative voice. "I mean...He's the leader of Voltron and he and the team have saved Arus a thousand times over. Of course I...I care for him."

"You ever tell him?"

"I...I beg your pardon?"

Velene tried not to roll her eyes. Yeah, this woman and Keith were a perfect match, completely oblivious and in denial. "You ever tell Keith you care about him?"

"I...Keith...Commander Kogan is aware how I feel for...for him, and that I care for all the members of the Voltron team."

"Oh." Velene scowled into her cup. "That's a shame."

"Excuse me?"

Velene rose, got herself a second cup of coffee and a pastry. "My cup was empty," she replied as she returned to her seat.

"Oh." Allura couldn't understand why this woman was able to so easily fluster her. "Anyway, I hardly think we should be having such a discussion. It is hardly appropriate."

"Do you think Robeasts have sex?"

"What?"

"Robeasts? Do you think they have sex?" Velene bit into her pastry. "I mean, if one gets away and doesn't get dispatched here or wherever to wreak havoc, do you think they'd just go out and procreate without the help of their creators?"

Allura just gaped at her.

"I saw a vid once, an old one, about this guy who decided to build a theme park with live dinosaurs. They bred the animals to all be female and missing a specific enzyme that they would need to breed. But they found a way anyway." She smirked. "Can you imagine a penis on a T-rex?"

"I..."

"Oh, sorry." Velene then set her gaze to Allura's. "You were talking about inappropriate, conversations, so thought you wanted an example."

"You..." What a belligerent woman!

"See, I don't think talking about caring for someone is inappropriate." Velene took another bite of her pastry, wiped the cream filling from her lips. "I think not telling a person you care about them is inappropriate."

Allura finally found her voice, and it was in her Princess tone. "In my culture, discussing such things is considered rude..." she began.

"You ever kiss him?"

"W...what?"

"Keith, you ever kiss him?"

She flushed and thought about the kiss she stole just yesterday as he had been sleeping. "I hardly think that's any of your business."

"So no then." Velene finished off her pastry, licked her fingers. "Because if you had kissed him, you would definitely want to brag about it." She smiled serenely. "He's the only man that can make my toes curl."

Allura stared at her, bewildered. What did that even mean? "I'm sure your experience with the Commander is...legendary, however, as I said, this is not a suitable discussion. If you will excuse me." Allura set her glass down and started towards the door.

"Princess?"

Gritting her teeth, she turned back and tried to remember her diplomatic training. "Yes, Captain."

Velene raised her cup again. "You should try it."

"Try what?"

"Kissing Keith."

Allura spun on her heel and stormed out, almost knocking over Lance as he entered.

"Where's the fire, Princess?" he asked, even as the doors closed on Allura's exit. He glanced at Velene. "We under attack?"

"Nope," she smiled. "But I'm working on a strong offensive."

* * *

Allura was relieved to say goodbye to Captain Zale, as they stood just outside the castle entrance later that morning. It had hurt to see Keith lavish her with his attention, she made Keith laugh, like no one had else ever had before. He was more relaxed, more playful and certainly more cheerful than she had ever seen him. She hoped that his good spirits didn't disappear when Velene left.

"Take care, big guy." Velene gave a vivacious hug to Hunk. "I'll keep my eye open for that tool you're looking for. I'm sure I can find it through one of my connections."

"Thanks, Velene. You're awesome."

She then crouched to hug Pidge, preventing him from getting an eyeful of her breasts; had she hugged him while standing. She could tell he was a little disappointed by her decision, so she captured his face in both her hands and kissed him soundly.

"You are gorgeous!" She gave him a hard hug. "And perfect for my friend Selma." She pulled back, watched the little man blush and adjust his glasses. "I left her communications tag on your console."

Pidge brightened. "Really?"

"Really. You give her a call, okay?"

He nodded. "I will. Thanks Velene."

She smiled at Lance who had been flirting outrageously with her since she had arrived. "All right, Doll Face, c'mere."

He stepped into her embrace willingly, then squawked in surprise, when Velene, anticipating what he had planned to do with her, surprised him by bending him backwards and planting a big kiss on his lips.

"Damn it!" he laughed, delighted as she righted him. "I'm supposed to do that."

"I _always_ lead, Flyboy," she assured patting his check, affectionately.

Finally Velene extended her hand to the Princess. "I appreciate you letting me stay, Princess. You have a beautiful planet and I'd love to come back and see more of it."

Allura accepted Velene's hand with and offered a diplomatic response. "You are welcome back any time."

"Thank you." Velene nodded and tried not to laugh, because she knew the Princess didn't want her to ever come back here. "Take care of that guy for me would you?" She pointed a thumb in Keith's direction, watched him shift uncomfortably. "He sometimes forgets that all work and no play makes him a very dull boy."

Allura blinked as she felt something pressed into her hand from Velene, and she discretely slid it into her pocket. "I...I'll do my best."

"Yeah, okay. Time to go." Keith stepped forward, glared at Velene and took her arm. "Your ship is waiting, _Captain_."

Velene chuckled, turned and waved at the Voltron team, then surprised them all as she hopped up the Commander's back. "Onward young stallion!" she cried as Keith automatically curled his arms around her legs.

"You're such a pain in the ass!" he said as they walked towards Black. He let her drop from his back as they reached the Lions mouth and watched as she turned to his friends again.

"Be good! Work hard and play harder!"

The team grinned and waved at her as Keith laughed and pulled her into Black's entry point.

"Wow," Hunk sighed as Black lifted off and shot across the sky, a few seconds later. "Who knew the Commander had any friends but us."

"She was really nice," Pidge commented. "I hope she comes back soon."

"Yeah," Lance agreed as they turned back to the castle. "She's a good woman."

Allura waited until the others had moved away, then pulled the small hologram disc out of her pocket and pressed the button. A vision of Velene appeared, smiling.

"Sometimes a wounded animal can only stay wounded, until someone takes the chance on loving it. It needs to be shown care and patience to eat from your hand. To live, to truly live, we must be willing to risk becoming nothing in order to find everything. You have risked your life many times, Princess. Will you not also risk your heart?"

She scowled, wondering what it meant and glanced upwards as Black Lion disappeared from view. Was the wounded animal Velene, or was it herself? She paused. Was it Keith? Was Velene warning her that Keith had been hurt before and so she should stay away? But then, why would the words suggest risking her heart? Earth words, especially in poetic form, was so obscure to her still.

Shaking her head, she headed to her office and kept herself busy until she heard the familiar sound of a Lion flying over the castle, and she knew it was Keith putting black back inside.

Opening a decorative box on her desk she pulled out her ticket for the kissing booth and wondered if she would ever have the courage to give it to Keith. Probably not, he would only laugh at her, or feel uncomfortable. After all, when he had a smart and sophisticated woman like Velene, how could he possibly be satisfied with a lonely, fussed-over Princess who knew absolutely nothing about men?

She put the ticket in her uniform pocket anyway, and rose. It wasn't doing her any good to brood, so she'd go see what Coran had on her schedule for the day.

She met Keith on her way down the stairs, as he was coming up. "Did Velene get to her ship all right?"

He nodded. "Yes. She said to thank you again for letting her stay." He paused for a moment then added. "And I appreciate it too, Princess. We hadn't seen each other in a long time."

"I'm glad you managed to catch up with each other then." Allura didn't want to think of what the 'catching up' entailed and she started to descend again.

"Allura?"

She stopped two steps below him and looked up, keeping her features appropriately blank. "Yes, Commander?"

"I..." Should he ask her about the kiss? She seemed distant the last couple of days and wondered if Velene's visit as the cause. "Well...thanks again."

She nodded and watched him jog up the stairs. Oh, the hell with it! "Keith!"

He turned, met her troubled gaze. "Something is wrong." He walked back down to her. "What is it?"

She took a deep breath, argued that it was none of her business and his personal life was his own, yet found herself asking anyway. "Was she the second?"

He blinked, confused. "Uh...second?"

She blushed, lowered her eyes. "The...second woman you said you...your second was a woman at...at the academy...um..."

"Oh!" It dawned on him and he cursed himself for being an idiot. "Uh...well..."

"It's okay!" She held out her hand. "You don't have to tell me. It's none of my business." She started down again.

"Yes," he admitted quietly, watched her stop just two steps from the bottom of the staircase. "Velene was the girl from the academy that I had...a brief relationship with."

Allura's hand tightened on the railing and again she told herself not to ask, and again her mouth betrayed her. "Have you...um...renewed your...relationship with her?"

Keith was startled by the question, and then confused by it. Is that what had been upsetting Allura, she thought that he had been sleeping with Velene? Even so, why would it bother her? Why would she care?

He dropped the remaining steps until he was on the floor below her, which put them eye to eye, assuming she stopped staring at the floor. "No."

Her gaze flew upwards to his. "No?"

"I'm not really Velene's type."

"But...you said..."

"That was a long time ago, Princess, when neither of us really knew who we were."

Hope surged in Allura's chest. "And...now?"

"Now?" He shrugged. "Now, I'm leader of Voltron, and she's Captain of her own ship." He paused and smirked. "Which she pilots with her female partner, Rael."

"Oh!" Joy surged through her, and then shame for the thoughts she'd had against Velene. "I...I just thought. You seem so open with her, so happy." So much in love.

"We've been friends a long time. She was there when I really needed someone and..." He smiled. "She never lets me forget it."

_**Sometimes a wounded animal can only stay wounded, until someone takes the chance on loving it.**_

The urge to throw herself into his arms and kiss him senseless was almost overwhelming as Velene's words started to make sense. "Well, then, that...that's something else I'm grateful to her for."

"Something else?"

"Yes. She...she brought out a side of you I've never seen before, Keith." She let herself reach up to ruffle his hair, noticed his foot shift slightly as if to pull back, before he adjusted and allowed her hand to land on his head.

_**It needs to be shown care and patience to eat from your hand**_

"What side was that?"

"A happy and playful side."

"I am happy, and I can be playful...sometimes." When she continued to smile at him he grunted. "I just play differently than everyone else does, that's all."

_**Becoming nothing in order to find everything. **_

"I know you do," she admitted softly and stared into his intense blue eyes.

_**You should try it.**_

_**Try what?**_

_**Kissing Keith.**_

Velene's words seemed to be echoing in her head and Allura couldn't block them out. Did she dare kiss him? Ask him to kiss her? Would he laugh at her? Scorn her? No, Keith was too kind for that, but what if he did like her, as she liked him? What if he didn't and their relationship became awkward and uncomfortable? What if she lost her best friend?

_**Will you not also risk your heart?**_

"Keith..."

"Yes?"

"I...I was wondering if you...if you would do something for me?"

"Anything."

His answer was without hesitation and that gave her courage.

"Well, you see, I...I have something here and..." Allura pulled her ticket out of her jumpsuit pocket. "I'd like to collect."

She saw his eyes widen in shock.

"I believe you owe me a kiss, Commander."

"I...what...where did you get that?"

"I purchased it for the fair."

"That was days ago."

"I know I was...saving it." She stared at him shyly. "Is it...still valid?"

He stared at the ticket in her hand, as his mind whirled with questions and doubts and warnings and consequences. It touched him, oddly enough, that she had purchased one, but it also frightened him.

_**She's a Princess...**_

_**She's also a woman, Kei.**_

Did Allura want to kiss him because she had feelings for him, or was there another reason? He respected Allura, respected the woman she was, the pilot, the soon to be queen, but she was used to having her way. She could be protective, sometimes even possessive over the members of Voltron, when she felt her role in their lives was threatened.

If this was just a lark on her behalf, a brief moment of possessiveness because she may have been jealous over his attention to Velene...That would hurt. It would hurt a lot and he didn't know how he would deal with that.

Seeing the war raging inside of him, Allura lowered her eyes and let the ticket fall from her fingers to the floor. "It's okay. You don't have to. I know you hated that entire experience and I just thought..."

_**She is thinking about having someone walk in it with her.**_

_**Then I should leave her to her fantasy, shouldn't I?**_

_**Not if her fantasy is you.**_

"Yes."

She blinked and lifted her eyes to his again, then watched as he crouched and picked up the ticket.

"I mean, you did pay good money." He paused stared at the ticket. Seeing it slip from her hand and flutter to the floor had made him feel... bereft, and he knew he had to give her this one thing. No matter what it meant to him, he could not refuse her. "And...it was for a good cause."

Relief poured through her, along with excitement. "I...I understand no touching is allowed." She put her hands behind her back as she had seen Velene do.

"And the kiss can only last three seconds," he reminded, quietly, examining the ticket instead of looking at her.

She scowled, well, that was hardly fair, but it was better than nothing. "O...Okay." She nodded and closed her eyes. "I...I'm ready."

Keith lifted his eyes to Allura's face and felt his heart flip over in his chest. God she was beautiful, exquisite and graceful and just...perfect. Her eyes were closed, leaving impossibly long lashes to flutter against the pale skin of her cheeks. Her pretty pink lips were pursed, ever so slightly, in anticipation of the kiss and the sight of it made Keith's body ache.

After another moment's hesitation, Keith also put his hands behind him, grasping his right wrist to hold it there, to prevent himself from touching her, the way he really, really wanted to touch her at that moment.

He gently touched his lips to hers and slowly counted in his mind, to keep himself focused. _One_. His eyes fluttered closed. _Two_. He heard a small sigh from Allura. _Three_. He was supposed to stop now, but he couldn't. _Four_. Her arms found their way around his neck. _Five_. His hands slid to her waist. _Six_. Her lips parted. _Seven_. Her body pressed against his. _Eight_. His fingers found their way into her hair to tilt her head back so he could deepen the kiss. _Nine_. He released a slow, aching moan of desire. _Ten_.

"Commander?"

Keith released her as if scalded when Pidge's voice burst from his Volcom. They stared at each other, stunned by what had just happened. Allura's eyes were wide and rounded, her lips deliciously swollen from their kiss and her breath was as uneven as his own.

"Keith?" Pidge's voice came again

Dazed, shaken, he reached back for something to support his suddenly uneven sense of balance and gripped the rail. "H...here." he rasped, surprised at how unlike himself he sounded and filled with guilt that he had been caught doing something totally inappropriate with the Princess.

He turned away from Allura, completely rattled by the fact that the longer he looked upon her the stronger the urge grew to reach for her again.

"You okay? I thought you were coming to the control room?"

"Yes. I'm...I'm on my way." When Keith turned back Allura was dashing down the hall away from him. "Damn it." He wanted to go after her, explain...Explain what? That an innocent kiss had started to turn into much more? Had he scared her? Hell, he'd scared himself.

Work. He just needed to work and stop thinking about Allura.

Allura peeked around the corner she had turned and watched the Commander dash up the stairs. She leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes. "Toes curl," she murmured, finally understanding what that phrase meant. "Everything curled."

She moaned, pressed trembling fingers to her lips and hurried off to meet Cooran.


	7. Chapter 7

_Sorry for the wait guys and gals, am in the middle of several stories, including a second novel and there just doesn't seem to be enough time in the day to get to them all. **SPOILERS **in this chapter for the FV episode Draidin Baby Draidin** rated a STRONG T for adult themes/scenes and one or two bits of mild language.**_

___So glad everyone enjoyed Allura cashing in her ticket, but as sad as I was to see Velene go, the story must progress. Perhaps I'll have her appear in a later chapter, if everyone would like that?, or Maybe I'll make a new story with her and Keith and how they evolved (Not sure the KA readers will approve of that tho, lol!)  
_

_Thank you everyone who have reviewed so far, the feedback is very much appreciated and is helping me keep this story properly tailored to how i want it to unfold. Special thanks to Paulina Ann, cubbieBlueMako, Limetwist, Nerdmom1701, Cpt. Kallan Beyda and FroofyB (hope your computer is behaving now ;-) ) for your consistent support for my work!_

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Keith stared out at the skyline of Dradin, the multiple boardwalk displays inviting you to come play in casinos and simulator rooms flickered colors across his hotel room like an old Earth disco scene. He'd lost the Black Lion temporarily, shortly after their arrival here, but luckily had found him again. Some kids had decorated Black like a teenager's spots car, complete with fuzzy dice and spinning rims. He had not been amused, but he sensed Black was rather taken by the new look.

Manset had offered them luxury suites and free passes for anywhere they wanted to go so they could enjoy their vacation. Some vacation, he thought, when moments after they had arrived their host was kidnapped and they'd had to chase after him. Then he'd had to rush to find Black so they could form Voltron to battle the goons who were trying to destroy the place. They could have stayed home and had more of a rest than they had gotten here so far.

He blinked, wondering when he had started thinking of Arus as home? Well, he had been there for over a decade, he supposed it was natural to start feeling an attachment. That led him to thinking about the Princess and the kiss they had shared. Did he trust in what Velene had been trying to tell him? Was it possible that Allura had feelings for him? Real feelings? And if she did, what did that mean for them and the team?

He knew she had to marry someone of her station and he was not anywhere near that. He was a military jock, nothing more. So, if they pursued a relationship it would only end up in one of them getting hurt, right? So it was better to just ignore what happened and...

His door chimed and he scowled. The cadets were all at some science fair convention, Pidge and Hunk were in the casinos and Lance was off doing God knew what, probably trolling for women. Who could be calling on him now?

"Come in!" he called and was surprised when the door slid open and Allura, stood there in a long flowing blue night dress and robe. "Uh...Hi."

"Hi." She stared at him shyly. "Am I...disturbing you?"

Absolutely! "No. No, come in." He moved across the room to her. "I thought you'd retired for the night?

"I had but I couldn't sleep."

He smirked and indicated the window. "Too much distraction?"

She was distracted all right, but it had nothing to do with the sights and sounds of the resort. "I think I'm just missing my bed." She settled on a chair in the small sitting room and avoided looking at the large bed across from it.

"You wanted a vacation."

"I think I need a vacation to get over my vacation."

He smiled, couldn't argue with that. "Would you like something to drink?"

"Oh yes, please?"

"Hard or soft?"

"In between."

He nodded, walked to the small food processor and ordered two glasses of wine. He returned, handed one to her then settled in the opposite chair and crossed one leg over the other. "How was your spa?"

"Wonderful! It was almost worth the stress and kinks I got from being here."

"But not enough to relax you to sleep, huh?"

She shook her head, sipped her wine. He was the reason she couldn't sleep. He'd been the reason for many of her sleepless nights, even when she was home in her own bed. Did he think about it, she wondered? Their kiss? Should she ask or would that be too forward? She couldn't stop thinking about it. How his body had molded to hers, how he stole her very breath, then sweetly replaced it with his own as their lips merged in a satiny dance of...

"Princess?"

She blinked at him. "Yes?"

"Are you okay? You look...ah...flushed."

Well! If she wasn't before, she was now. She dipped her head, played with the stem of her wine glass. "Um...just...just thinking."

"About what?"

She shrugged took another sip, okay more of a gulp really, finishing off her glass. "May I have another, please?"

His look was non-judgmental as he rose and retrieved it for her. When he handed her a fresh glass he sat forward, asked. "Are you sure you're okay?"

She nodded, curtly. "Yes. Yes, I'm perfectly fine."

He sat back. "Okay."

They sat in silence for a little while, then both spoke at once.

"How's the bed?"

""Have you heard from Coran?"

They smiled at each other.

"Ladies first," he offered.

"Oh, I...I was just wondering how your bed is, for sleeping I mean? Mine seems rather hard, maybe that's why I can't sleep."

"I don't know, I haven't had the chance to try it out." He missed her blush, as he set his glass down and walked over to the bed. He sat down, bounced a little. "Seems pretty firm, not really hard." He patted the space beside him. "Check it out."

Knowing the heat from her cheeks could probably rival one of the twin suns of Arus she surprised herself by rising and walking over to him. She did the same thing he had, only more demurely. "Um...it does seem softer than mine."

"Do you want to sleep here then?"

She gaped at him. "W...what?"

Was he asking her to stay, spend the night with him? The idea filled her with anticipation and, admittedly, apprehension. She wanted Keith, there was no doubt in her mind, especially after that kiss. She'd been in love with him for years, but he never acted like he was any more than a friend to her.

"Since your bed is too hard, you can sleep here. We can switch rooms."

Really? She thought, disappointed. Was he made of stone? Couldn't he feel the connection they had, the chemistry? Didn't he want to kiss her again?

"W...what?" he asked, staring at her with wide eyes.

Allura realized she had said her last thought aloud, then thought, to hell with it, as Lance always said. She had to know. The man was disturbing her sleep, tormenting her thoughts and acted like he wasn't even aware of it. She was a princess and pilot of the Blue Lion. She knew all about risk.

"Don't you want to kiss me again?" she repeated, then felt her courage slip, her voice soften. "Won't you ever kiss me again, Keith?"

Keith was astonished, both by her question and by the level of lust that spiked through him at the mere thought of kissing her. "I..."

Did she want him to kiss her? Idiot, of course she did or she wouldn't have asked. But they could never be together. Didn't she understand that they weren't right for each other? His job was to protect her not seduce her.

Allura flushed at her failed risk and rose. "I'm sorry I disturbed you. I'll just go back to my room."

Keith caught her wrist, not wanting her to go, but terrified of asking her to stay. He still couldn't find his voice, so many thoughts and questions and consequences rolling around in his head; his mouth couldn't form them all.

Allura watched as Keith rose, stood beside her, but remained silent. He wasn't really looking at her, he was staring at tie of her robe. Or perhaps her slippers, but his thumb was making soothing little circles across her pulse. Was that for her benefit or his?

"K...Keith?"

He lifted his eyes to hers and she saw the war going on inside them. She saw flickers of lust mixed with flickers of doubt. She saw shimmers of need mixed with pools of concern; for her or for him she couldn't quite tell. She stiffened slightly as his touch, the intensity of his gaze seemed to ignite something she had believed long since dormant and felt herself caught between what she wanted to do and what she should do. Between her feelings for him, her need for him, and her duty to keep him safe and respect his position.

These were his feelings! These were what he was feeling and she was tuned into them. She had not been able to establish such a connection since she was very young, and even then it was only with a very select few Arusions.

She lifted her free hand and cupped his cheek. "I want you to kiss me, Keith," she whispered, hoping it would help pull him out of his turmoil. "I want it very, very much."

It was enough, it was enough to push his dominant feelings closer to the surface, to put his desire before his control, and his need before his worry.

When his head lowered to hers she almost sighed in relief, and as their lips touched she felt a sense of homecoming, of peace and serenity, of belonging. He was still holding her left wrist, so she put her right arm around his neck, shoved her fingers through his hair, wishing he hadn't cut it; wishing there was more of it.

Keith moved his mouth against Allura's, trying to quell the feelings that he was being a jerk, that he was taking advantage, that this was not the way to protect the Princess! But her lips were so soft and she smelled so incredibly enticing and he loved feeling her fingers in his hair and caressing the nape of his neck.

His body suddenly felt over sensitized. He could feel everything, from the cushioned press of her chest against his, to the warmth of her breath as their tongues touched, to the gentle caresses her fingers allowed and the tickle of her hair against his cheek.

God! Oh God! He wrapped both arms around her, pulled her closer to him as he explored her mouth, her deliciously pure, warm, wet mouth. She was ambrosia, a gift from the Gods and he couldn't get enough of the feel of her, the taste of her, the...

"C...Christ!" He released her suddenly, stumbled back and bumped the bedside lamp on his way to the wall.

"W...what's wrong?" Allura asked, slightly dazed still from the kiss.

"We...we can't..." He began and tried to calm himself, tried to find his control.

His heart was near beating out of his chest, his lungs couldn't get enough air and his entire body tingled on high alert. What the hell was wrong with him? He'd never felt a reaction like this before, not with anyone! Was it just Allura, was it because she was Arusion or was it just a combination of the pent up feelings of wanting her all these years?

She moved towards him, surprised when he held up a hand to ward her off, then braced both hands on his knees and leaned from the waist.

"Just...give me...a minute."

She bit her lip and stayed where she was. What had happened to make him break the kiss? Wasn't he enjoying it? She was certainly enjoying it, she'd never felt anything like it in her life! Her eyes lowered as a moment of shame slipped inside of her, for pushing Keith to kiss her before he was ready and she noticed how tighter his uniform trousers now were. Her eyes widened and flew back up to his face. Had she done that? Is that why he stopped, because he was aroused?

She wet her lips and stepped forward. "It...it's nothing to...be ashamed of, Keith."

"What isn't?" he asked, still bent over.

"Um...that you are...ah...that you liked it so much."

"What?" Keith followed her gaze and promptly turned every shade or red possible. "Shit." He quickly turned around, faced the wall and crossed his arms over his chest, appalled at what she must be thinking of him. He was even more embarrassed when the center of his brain that controlled speech suddenly went on the fritz. "Um...t...sorry, this...this is just...um...it has nothing to do...to do with you, Princess! I...I mean it...it does, but...but...it just h...happens..." He slapped the wall in frustration. "You...you should probably go."

"I...don't wish to go."

"Princess..." He stiffened as he felt her arms slide around him from behind. "What...what are you...?"

She leaned her cheek against his back. "I want to help, Keith."

He tightly closed his eyes. "You...you can't, Princess. It...it will just...um...go away eventually." Probably as soon as she was out of his room and certainly if he didn't kiss her again!

Becoming bolder from the incredible warmth, need and desire radiating from him, she moved one of her hands lower along his ribcage, stopping just above the waistband of where his uniform belt usually was. Her second hand started to slide lower still.

"Allura," he moaned, catching her hands and turning towards her. God she was so close, he could feel the heat from her body, smell the delicious scent of her shampoo. "You...you shouldn't do that."

"Why?"

He sometimes forgot that despite the fact she ruled a world and was one of the Voltron force she was incredibly naive and innocent when it came to certain things. "Be...because it isn't appropriate."

"Why?"

"B...because you..." He saw the devilment in her eyes and quickly released her hands. Okay, maybe not so innocent. "You know why."

She nodded and moved closer to him. "And I know how to help."

His eyebrows rose. "How do you know?" She was supposed to be pure and untouched!

She shrugged. "I read."

He released a coughing laugh and stepped away from her. "That...That doesn't make you..." He shook his head in disbelief. Why were they even having this conversation? She was strictly off limits and always had been. "You...You need to go back to your room, Princess."

"Why do you keep using my title?"

Because it helped remind him she was off limits.

"Aren't we friends?"

"Of course we are!"

"Then why can't you use my name?" She wrapped her arms around him again from behind. "I like you, Keith."

His hands fisted at his sides. She was making this so hard, so...impossible to turn her away. "I...I like you too, Princess, Allura...but..."

"I more than like you, Keith," she whispered and closed her eyes against the possibility of her rejection.

_**Becoming nothing in order to find everything.**_

"If you truly want me to go, then I will, but only if you tell me, honestly and truly that you have no feelings for me beyond friendship, beyond duty. If you tell me that I will go."

Keith closed his eyes. He couldn't tell her that. How could he tell her that? It would be a lie and he has never lied to her. But he couldn't allow her to stay, either. He didn't know if he could contain himself if she stayed, but how could he turn away the possibility to be with her, the hope and dream...Christ, it was so messed up!

When he didn't respond, Allura felt her heart drop to her feet. "Am I...staying or...going?" she asked tentatively.

Keith made his choice, he stepped away from her embrace, felt her arms fall away from him, sensed the hurt of his rejection even as he turned to face her. He cupped her chin, delicately. "Staying."

Her eyes flashed with pleasure and hope and she started to put her arms around him again, but he stepped back. She frowned.

"I...you can stay," he said quietly, knowing if he let her touch him again he would be lost, but aware if he sent her away he would lose the only chance they had of being together. "But...I...I'm going to take a shower." He watched her eyes flash again. "Alone."

She scowled. "Okay." Did he expect her to just wait for him then?

"You...you can um...get into bed. It's late and...and we both need the sleep. We have a long trip back to Arus in the morning."

"Keith," she began once more reaching for him.

"You can stay, Allura," he repeated, avoiding her touch once more. "But...I can't...offer you any more than that. Not...not right now." Would it be enough, he wondered. Would the gesture of sharing a bed without sex, for the moment anyway, be enough to assure her of his feelings for her?

She considered it for a moment, then nodded. "Okay." She pulled off her robe, kicked off her slippers and slid under the covers of the bed. "I'm in."

He blinked at her term. Did she mean 'in' as inside the bed or 'in as in for whatever this as that was happening between them? "In?" he repeated, cautiously.

She nodded, removed her blue-diamond head band and placed it on the night table, then snuggled under the covers. "All the way in."

Keith felt the surprise, the relief and the wonder fill him. "Okay." He pulled off his volcom and set it by her Tierra. "I'll...just be a few minutes."

"Okay." Allura waited until he disappeared into the washroom then sat up and slapped her hands to her face. "Oh my!"

What was she doing? She was going to spend the night in Keith Kogane's bed! She didn't know if they were going to do anything other than sleep, but so what? She was in his room, in his bed and...it felt right. Somehow it felt so incredibly right.

Jumping up she scrambled, in a very un-princess like way, back across the room, grabbed their glasses and got them a refill. She hustled back to the bed, jumped up on the mattress and set the glasses on the night stand. Running a hand through her hair, she scurried back under the covers, then lightly pinched her cheeks to add a touch of color. She was giddy as a school girl and as nervous as a bride.

When he came out of the washroom several minutes later, he wore only low hanging black pajama bottoms and a towel around his neck to catch the moisture still dripping from his hair. Allura almost lost her mind as her body reacted to the sight of his bare, muscular chest and rippling biceps. Oh my! He so rarely went without a shirt, even at the beach, she never got to see the artwork underneath his uniform.

He stopped half way to the bed startled by the sight of her lying there leisurely sipping a glass of wine.

"Hi fella, come here often?" she asked, remembering a pick up line from an old vid he had once shown her.

He smiled, slowly, how could he not? She was trying to look and act so sophisticated and sexy and he found it only made her look more adorable. "Actually," he said as he sat beside her on the bed and rubbed his hair with the towel. "It's my first time."

She grinned, relieved he had managed to dispel some of his earlier nervousness and tension. "I hear it's a real happening joint."

He pulled the edge of the towel up to peer at her, amused. "Happening?"

She frowned. "Did I use the wrong word?"

He smirked. "No." He continued to towel dry his hair. "It's definitely happening."

She smiled, then flushed and wondered what he meant? Would something definitely be happening with them, tonight?

Keith had taken the time in the shower to consider all the angles of what was happening, then, about midway through, he cursed Velene for being right about him. Maybe he was too cautious, too afraid of getting close to people. It wasn't something he did intentionally.

Then he considered what exactly he was going to do with Allura. He'd needed to switch the water to extra cold when the physical possibilities had immediately sprung to mind, then let himself consider the emotional ones. She wanted to be with him, she'd made that clear, and he wanted to be with her. Right now, there wasn't really anything stopping them from it, except himself. That said, if he let himself get too close, let himself open his heart to her fully, only to watch her have to marry some Prince or Knight or whatever, it would damn well kill him.

But, if it was one thing he had learned from Wade's betrayal and his years as a fugitive, he could take nothing for granted anymore. Lotor had been resurrected from the dead. Robeasts were once more emerging to wreak havoc. Luckily, the witch Haggar had not returned, but who knew what the future held? Wade taught them that trust was a luxury and power was something everyone craved and could be corrupted by.

He could stay away from Allura, maintain a strict professional relationship with her, protect her, and hope that would be enough, until Lotor and Wade were defeated, or until he died in battle. But if he died in battle tomorrow, the number of regrets he would have regarding Allura were insurmountable.

So he decided, he would still do everything in his power to protect her, but he would no longer hide from his own feelings. He didn't intend to go overboard and rush either of them into a physical relationship just yet, but spending time together, being with each other outside of commanding Voltron or sharing a few kisses, where was the harm in that?

"Move over," he requested as he pulled back the covers. "I always sleep on the right side."

"Oh." She slid over, careful of her wine and felt the tingle of anticipation as he slid in beside her. She watched him put his Volcom back on his wrist and shook her head. Always so concerned about an attack. "Do you really sleep with it on?"

"Yes." Especially if she was going to be sleeping with him, he needed the extra layer of security to keep her safe. He took her half finished glass, drank it down and set it on night stand by the glass she had poured for him, still untouched. "Now, we're going to sleep, and that is all we're going to do, okay?"

"Really?" she pouted at his commander's voice. He was being so serious.

"For tonight," he amended and switched off the light. He lay on his back and then, after a moment's hesitation lifted his arm so she could snuggle against his chest.

"What about tomorrow?" she whispered in the darkness.

"We'll see when tomorrow comes."

She smiled, then rose up enough to kiss his lips. "Good night, Commander."

"Night, Princess."

She settled down again, splayed her hands across his chest and fell, almost instantly, into a blissful sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

_**SPOILERS for I Voltron**. Thank you to everyone who reviewed, it really means a lot. We're getting into the development of Keith and Allura's relationship now, so I hope you enjoy my take on it._

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Keith lay on his bed reading a novel he had picked up a few months ago and trying not to look at the door to his quarters. He would normally be asleep by now, but he couldn't stop thinking about Allura, and wondering if he should go and talk to her.

It had been two weeks since their time on Dradin, when she had spent the night in his room. She hadn't shown any sign since they had returned to Arus that she was hoping for a re occurrence, not that either of them had much of a chance to really talk about it. Between battling Robeasts, Wade's trial, escape, his merging with the spider Robeast, then Daniel's mind being transferred into Volton, which was then taken over by Haggarium...well, they'd been busy.

He wasn't sure if Allura was expecting him to come to her, or if he should wait for her to come to him. What if that one night had been the start and end of things for them? What if she had changed her mind about everything because he had refused to make it physical at the time?

All this led to him wondering if they should even be attempting such secret liaisons, especially in the castle. Too many people might see them together, and what would happen then? Well, he didn't know what would happen then, but he suspected that it wouldn't be good.

This thing between them had to remain a secret, at least for now. He needed time to figure out a plan, to learn if he would...could even be considered a suitor for her. He had to know if being with him would compromise her position as Princess, or Queen, should she decide to leave Voltron behind one day and focus entirely on serving her people.

He was so deep in thought and _not_ reading his book, that when his door chimed he was so badly startled he'd nearly levitated off his bed. Dropping the book and putting a hand over his pounding heart he slid off the bed and moved to the door.

Placing his hand on the panel, the door slid open to reveal Pidge on the other side.

"Hey, Commander, sorry, but I'm working on Blue and Red Lion's, updating their grapplings, and I need to get some supplies." Pidge held out the requisition pad. "Just need your signature."

"Yeah, sure thing, Pidge." Keith signed his name to the data pad.

"Thanks, Commander." Pidge waved. "Good night."

"Yeah, night." Keith let the door close and banged his head against it. He looked at his watch and sighed. Well, it was too late to go see Allura now, and she obviously wasn't coming to see him. He needed to go to sleep because they had an early training call tomorrow. "Right."

He switched off his main light, leaving just the bedside lamp on, then removed his Volcom. He set it on the charger and paused over the pair of shades next to it. He'd purchased them at the resort the morning they were to head back to Arus because he had not slept at all the night before. He had lain awake all night holding Allura and thinking about...

"Tomorrow." Picking up the shades he smiled.

He had told her that they would wait and see what tomorrow would bring, but here it was almost two weeks later and he still wasn't exactly what the future would hold for them, or how they could make it work. He wasn't of noble birth and she was a Princess, he couldn't stop thinking that that would be a barrier they could never cross.

Dropping the shades back on his night table he shrugged out of his uniform, leaving him in a pair of simple black briefs. Hanging the uniform in the cleaning chamber, he started the cycle so it would be fresh and pressed the next morning.

Climbing into bed he groaned with his door chime sounded.

"Come on, Pidge," he sighed, rising again, grabbing a pair of work out sweats from his drawer and shoving into them. Pressing his hand to the panel of the door he watched it slide open. "How many supplies do you..." He broke off as Allura stared at him from the other side. She wore her usual uniform and held a small duffle bag in her hand. "Uh...hi."

"May I come in?" she asked quietly. She watched the debate in his eyes, then he stepped aside and let her enter.

She stepped over the threshold, set the bag down and slid her hands behind her back. Three days! It had taken her three days to gather the courage to come to him, since he obviously wasn't going to come to her. She had hoped, after their time on Dradin, that things between them would progress, but he'd resumed his usual distance with her, which meant it was up to her to remind him of their agreement.

She'd gone over what she would say to him, considered every argument he might have and had equipped herself with a concise, logical rebuttal. Keith Kogane wasn't the only one who knew how to be in control, to be firm and decisive, and it was time he learned that. She was just the Princess to teach him.

"I was actually just thinking about you."

All her wonderful preparation went right out of her mind and her heart melted. "You...you were?"

He reached for her hand, smiled. "I thought you had...ah...changed your mind."

"Changed?" She was still confused by the fact that he wasn't arguing with her, trying to throw her out or tell her she was wrong to be there again.

"About...you know...what we discussed on Dradin." He scratched at his neck with his free hand. "You...I wasn't sure if I should go...to see you or you were going to come here and..."

It was so strange to see Keith stumbling for words, to see him so bashful. She stepped in and kissed him, relief flooding her that he still wanted this, still wanted her. She sighed as his arms slid around her and he deepened the kiss.

When they broke apart she smiled at him. "I...I thought you didn't want me. I thought you forgot about...Dradin."

He brushed his fingers through her hair. "No possible way."

"So, you'll let me stay with you tonight?"

"Well..." He glanced at the small bag behind her that she had brought in. "Seems you've set your mind to it."

She beamed at him, snuggled close to enjoy the feel of his bare chest against her cheek, and sighed. "I had such a good argument prepared, too.""

"Do you want me to put up a fight so you can use it?"

"No thank you!" she giggled then looked up at him.

"Good, because you're here now." His physical reaction to the sound of her laugher surprised him, and he tried to push it back. "But we're just going to sleep, right?"" he asked, cautiously.

"No."

"Allura..."

She put her fingers to his lips, silencing further argument. "We will sleep, eventually, but there must be some other things we can do?" She rubbed her thumb over his lips, felt her breath hitch when they parted beneath her touch and he gently nipped at her fingers. "Can't we just...kiss and touch and...hold each other?"

It sounded like heaven, better than heaven, only Keith wasn't so sure he'd be able to stop at just those things. "I don't think..."

"Why, Commander." She lowered her eyes, smiled secretly at the tell-tale bulge below his waist. "You...seem to be in need of some...help again."

Keith didn't need to look to know what she was referring to. "That's your fault," he muttered, then tugged her hand away from his mouth, because he wanted to suck on those pretty fingers of hers. "We agreed to go slow, Princess."

Princess again, she sighed. Why did he always have to push her away? Didn't he know how much courage it took for her to even come here tonight? "I...I thought we..." She searched for the right words to explain her feelings, her need. "It's tomorrow, Keith. Can't it please be tomorrow?"

It took him a moment to realize what she meant and when he did, he further realized that he hadn't really kept up his part of the deal. He'd promised himself to be more open with her about his feelings, promised her to give them a chance, and instead he had shut himself back down the moment they were back on Arus, at least in public.

Now, here she was, standing in his room yet again, pleading to stay with him, to be with him. How could he turn her away? He didn't want to turn her away.

"Yeah," He gently caressed her hair. "It can be tomorrow." He sighed, bent to touch his forehead to hers. "It's not that I don't want you, you know that, right?"

She nodded, even though she wasn't at all sure.

"Have you ever been with anyone, Allura?" He assumed she hadn't, but he had to ask and when she blushed, shook her head, he knew he had assumed correctly. "Well, then we have to be careful. We have to be absolutely sure, both of us, that this is something you want to happen between us."

"I do! It is!"

Her enthusiasm flattered him, but also gave him cause for concern. "You know, there's more to...to being with someone, to having a relationship than just sex."

"I know!"

She swallowed a groan, why did she always feel like an adolescent around him? Why did he make her feel like a shy little school girl when she wasn't? She was a Princess very close to becoming Queen. She was a Voltron pilot, a diplomat, a ruler and most of all a woman!

Using her Princess voice she said. "I'm not a child, Keith, and haven't been for some time."

He simply stared at her, and she felt the urge to kick him.

"I may not be as...as sophisticated as...as Captain Zale, but I'm sure I can manage to do it just as well."

"Velene has nothing to with this, or with us, and it isn't a competition, Allura."

"Did she have to work as hard to get you into bed?" she snapped, frustrated. "Did you constantly turn her away as well?"

Keith stepped back from her. "Actually, yes, to both, but I am not trying to push you away, truly I'm not, and this is a totally different situation..."

"Why? Why is it different? Why can you be with her so easily and be so afraid of me?"

Keith caught her face between his hands, felt her vibrating with anger and hurt, and softly pressed his lips to hers. "Because I didn't care about her the way I care about you. Because I never felt the need to protect her the way I do you, and most of all, because with Velene it was completely physical. That was all we had between us, so it was what we did." He brushed his hand over her hair again. "I want more than that with you, Allura. I want to give you more and I want to have more."

Her anger faded away and she tried to reach out, desperate to see behind his words to what he was feeling, to find that connection with him she had felt on Dradin, but found nothing. When she saw his eyes narrow on her face, she realized he was blocking her and she blushed. "I...I'm sorry. "

"How long have you been able to do that?" he asked, quietly.

"I...I used to be able to do it when I was young, but only to a very few people. I never had any control over when it would happen or with who. I...I felt it the first time again on...on Dradin, when we were in your room, but I wasn't trying to pry, it was just...there. " She lifted her eyes to his again. "How did you know?"

"Experience." He could tell when someone was trying to read him, he always got this warm tingle at the front of his brain, like the beginnings of a stress headache but different. Not really a sixth sense, just a warning that someone was trying to probe. Luckily he'd long ago learned to protect his thoughts; there were far too many telepaths and empaths in the universe.

"Forgive me, please. I know better, I just..."

"Allura, you don't need to read my mind or my emotions, just listen to my words. I'm being honest with you."

"Completely?"

No, she wasn't ready for him to be completely honest; neither of them were. "As honest as I can be right now."

She sighed. He was always so careful with his words, as well as his actions. She did listen to what he was saying, she could believe his words, but she knew there was something else. There was always something else with Keith, something more. He was a mystery wrapped in a conundrum bottled with a question mark.

"I want more too, Keith. I want all of that and I want it with you."

Well, if that didn't cement his decision nothing would. And now that he had given such brilliant and wise council to her about relationships, he wondered how in the hell this was going to work. He knew the basics, from the two relationships he'd had, but they had both been quick and almost entirely based on chemistry and physical attraction. He didn't have the first clue about the emotional aspects involved, he only knew he didn't want to hurt her or disappoint her.

"Okay." He stepped back from her as his mind whirled. "Some...some ground rules."

Her eyes widened. "Such as?"

"This stays between us, private. We don't tell anyone and we don't let on in public that things have...changed."

She nodded, understanding the need for that. "Fine."

"And when we're together, if I say stop you stop, no questions no protests, just...stop." He needed that promise from her, because if he did find himself close to the edge, too close to making their new relationship more physical that either of them were really ready for, he had to know that she would listen to him and prevent his fall overboard. "Same...same goes for you. If you tell me to stop I will, don't be afraid to say it, Allura. We don't have to rush through everything, so if you're not ready or you're at all uncomfortable you have to tell me."

"I...alright." She considered his reasoning, but could find no real cause for it, then added. "Do I get to make some ground rules too?"

He nodded. "Of course."

"I want to stay with you at least three nights a week."

"I..." A cacophony of things that could go wrong with that scenario immediately flooded his mind.

People would start to notice if she wasn't sleeping in her rooms, the maids, the servants, possibly even Coran. And what if one of the guys came by late at night, like Pidge had done tonight? What if there was an emergency, an attack? How would they explain why they were both in his room, or hers?

"Not to stay over," he amended and watched her eyes flash in annoyance. "We have to be practical, Prin...Allura," he amended when she scowled at him. "If there's an attack we can't both be seen leaving my room. Our relationship won't stay very private for very long."

She hated that he was right. "All right. We...We don't have to sleep, but we need to spend some time together." She stepped closer to him. "I don't care if we kiss, talk or curl up and read a book, Keith, as long as we're spending it together."

He pondered her words for a moment, felt a wave of tenderness flood him. She really did want to just be with him. How amazing was that?

"Okay." He rubbed his hands up and down his back. Yes, it was definably worth a try.

Allura pulled back and frowned. "Do we really have to be so secretive, though? I mean, I don't think the team will object and Coran...Well I'm really not sure what Coran will say."

"Well, let's try it this way first, see how it goes?"

She sighed and nodded.

"Well...I guess we should go to bed."

She brightened. "So, I can stay tonight?"

"Tonight, yes, you're already here, but after tonight we sleep in our own beds."

"Agreed." She stepped away from him and picked up her duffel bag. "May I use your washroom?"

He nodded, watched her walk in and close the door behind her. He secured the doors to his quarters with a specific code then returned to the bed. Fingering the waistband of his sweats he wondered if he should leave them on. It would probably be a better barrier than just his briefs, so he climbed into the bed with them on and rested his arms behind his head.

With the way his heart was thundering in his chest he wondered if Allura could hear it from behind the door. He'd had sex with Velene, but this was different. He had never felt anything more than a deep affection for her, and most of what they had done together was just straight forward sex. They'd done a little experimenting but he didn't know if he could apply that to Allura.

She was a virgin, and he wasn't ready to take that from her, to have that responsibility. Not yet anyway, but he could still make her feel good, he just had to be careful. He put his hand over his heart, ordered himself to calm down. He wasn't some randy seventeen year old, he needed to get a grip.

When Allura emerged she was in a long, flowing, sleeveless white night gown that draped all the way to her ankles. She paused by the door, as if suddenly shy and Keith had to bite back a groan. Virginal White, the Gods were toying with him.

"Are you getting in?" he asked softly, rolling onto his side and pulling back the covers.

She nodded and walked slowly to him, then gracefully sat. It felt different, she thought, different than when they were in the room on Dradin. She knew Keith wouldn't go too far, knew he would stop whenever she asked, yet she was suddenly nervous.

Keith rubbed her shoulder from behind. "It's okay," he assured. "We won't do anything you don't want to do, Allura."

She managed a smile, then slid her feet up on the bed and let him pull the covers over her. She lay on her back staring up at him. "I...I'm suddenly nervous."

"Me too," he admitted, taking her hand and holding it over his heart. "See?"

Her eyes widened at the rapid rhythm pulsing against her palm. "Why...why are you nervous?" He was far more experienced than she, shouldn't he be used to this?

"Because it's you," he murmured, watched a touch of pink enter her cheeks as her expression immediately softened. He pulled the hand from his chest to his mouth, kissed each finger tip, then her palm. "Because you're important."

Allura blinked at the sudden moisture in her eyes. She had waited her whole life for a man to say something like that to her, her whole life.

She reached up, cupped his cheek with her free hand. "So are you."

He smiled, then dipped his head, as if to kiss her, then pulled the book he had been reading from behind his back. "So, chapter one..."


	9. Chapter 9

_This chapter is rated **M- for adult situations**. **If you are under the age of thirteen or are not comfortable with this type of content, DO NOT READ THIS CHAPTER**. This is just a continuing scene from the last chapter, but if you prefer not to read mature content, you can skip this chapter without losing any of the plot/flow of the story_.

* * *

Allura gaped at Keith, saw the mischief in his eyes. She snatched the book from him, bopped him on the head with it then tossed it to the floor.

"Hey, you said we could read!"

"You jerk," she laughed, wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her. She sighed contentedly as he kissed her cheeks, her eyes, her nose, then back to her mouth for a deep lingering kiss, before moving his lips over the column of her throat, down to her neck just above where her nightgown began.

This was what it was to be desired she thought, to be a woman, and she couldn't get enough of it. Keith's hands caressed her bare arms, her shoulders, and then settled at her hip, rubbing his thumb over her hipbone through the material of her gown, even as he continued to kiss his way over her face and neck.

He shifted and she felt his arousal against her thigh. Boldly she slid her hand down between them and experimentally caressed him. She smiled when she heard him gasp and his hips automatically rocked toward her. She touched him again, rubbed her fingers along his length.

"Allura," he warned in a voice so husky with desire Allura felt an instant tingling of heat between her legs.

"Don't you like it?"

He grunted when she him squeezed and cursed. "You...know I do." He pulled her hand away. "Wait."

"Am...am I doing something wrong?" She stared at him, confused. "Doesn't it make you feel good?"

It made him feel more than good, could she really not understand how her touch affected him? "Princess..."

"Allura," she urged.

"Allura, you...when we kiss do you...you know how nice that feels?"

She nodded and smiled dreamily. "I do, very nice."

"Good. Good, well...multiply that by about a thousand." Her eyes widened in surprise. "That's what your touch does to me."

Her smile returned and she placed her free hand on his chest, rubbed. "Just my touch?"

He closed his eyes briefly before gazing down at her. "P...pretty much." When she wrapped her arms around him, rolled so that she her center was pressed against his arousal it took everything he had not to pull her clothes off there and then. "Allura...Allura..." Her mouth moved against his and he was lost. "Not...a good..." His hands fisted into her hair, pulling her closer as she opened her mouth to his invasion. "Idea."

"Stop...mmmmm...talking."

He kissed her until she was gasping for air, but kept his hands firmly above her waist. She was grinding against him, probably not even aware of what she was doing and Keith tried to grasp for control. He needed to say stop, she would stop if he said to, but he couldn't force the word out of his mouth. She felt so good! Everything about this felt so damn amazing and they still had their clothes on!

She mewed in protest when he gently rolled her onto her back again. "Keith!" she gasped as his hands slid under her gown and up along her naked thigh.

"Do you want me to stop?" he whispered as he nuzzled her neck "Tell me, if you want me to stop, Allura."

"No," she sighed and used her fingers to gather her gown higher. She didn't know what he was going to do, but she wanted him to do it. "No."

His fingers caressed her skin, rubbing, squeezing, teasing her as they moved closer to the apex of her thighs. He listened as her breath hitched the higher his hand rose, felt her tense beneath his touch. Fear? Anticipation? He couldn't know which, so he moved his hand down to her lower leg, massaged the sensitive muscle there, then under her knee, smiling when she giggled. Ah, ticklish spot; he'd have to remember.

His fingers moved up the inside of her thigh again, and never did he stop his assault of sweet kisses. Her chest arched against him when he sucked on her neck and he wanted to touch her breasts, kiss and suckle them, but not yet. Not yet.

His fingers brushed against the thin fabric of her underwear and her body flinched in surprise. He did it again, getting her used to it, but not going beyond the barrier between them. He wanted to give this to her, to give her a taste of what they would do together, not tonight, but soon. Very soon.

"Oh! Oh! Keith! What..."

"Trust me?"

She did trust him, she would always trust him, but her face felt like an erupting volcano at the idea of his hands touching her down there. "Y...yes."

He slid a finger past the barrier, watched her eyes widen in surprise and then darken with desire as he caressed the gentle folds beneath.

"O...Oh!" Her eyes fluttered closed as he continued to pleasure her.

His erection was painfully hard, throbbing incessantly as his body urged him to stop playing around and take this beautiful woman on his bed. He was having trouble breathing. The soft sounds she was making, her facial expressions flickering between arousal and innocence, need and surprise was driving him too close to the edge already. It had been a very long time since he had been with a woman, a very, very long time and he couldn't rush this.

Keith suddenly pulled away and sat up, breathing hard and Allura moaned in surprise and disappointment.

"Wh...?" She tried to get her bearings, to pull herself back from the sensations that had been rocking her moments before. Finally, she pushed her gown down, tried to ignore the strange pulsation between her legs and knelt behind Keith, putting her hands on his shoulders. "What's wrong?"

"I just...need a minute."

He needed more than a minute. He needed to calm down before he embarrassed them both.

She started to massage his shoulders. "You're so tense," she whispered close to his ear. "I won't break, Keith."

"I...I know, I just...Ahh! " She touched on a particular knot right at his neck and he moaned in relief as she worked it loose "God, th...that feels good."

She smiled and continued towards the other side of his neck.

"Let...let's just do this. This is good, right?"

"Nice try," she murmured. "But you don't get off that easy, Kogane."

He turned to face her suddenly. "I'm not trying to!" he assured quickly, not wanting her to doubt his desire for her again. "Honestly, Allura, I'm just..."

She cupped his cheek. "Protecting me again."

He lowered his eyes, nodded.

"You're going to protect me, even from yourself?" She shook her head and wrapped her arms around him. "Keith."

"I'm sorry. Old habits are hard to break, I guess."

"I really liked what you were doing," she murmured. "But if you want to stop, we will."

"I don't want to stop, I just..." He shook his head. "Don't let it go too far, okay?" He couldn't trust himself to stop, he realized that now, so he would need her to tell him. He _would_ stop if she told him. "I don't want to go too far, not...not tonight."

She nodded. "Okay." She lay back down, pulled him with her and ran her hand over his arousal again, making him gasp. "This seems to be the problem, Commander." She kissed him gently. "All the blood has been sucked from your brain."

Her comment was so crude, so un-like something she would normally say that a bark of laughter escaped before he could help it, and with it some of his tension was relieved.

"Yeah...makes it pretty hard to think straight sometimes." He closed his eyes when she caressed him a second time. "Allura..."

"Ssssh, let me." She continued to stroke her hand over him, watched as his eyes held hers, watched the way his pupils dilated when she squeezed him. When her fingers slipped in underneath the waistband of his sweat pants he immediately reached to stop her. "You need it, Keith. Even an _innocent_ like me can tell that."

He felt heat sting his cheeks, then slowly released her hand; after all turn about was fair play and he had been touching her earlier. His eyes closed when he felt her small hand curl around his flesh and he moaned before he could help himself. He shifted slightly so he was on his side, so she as facing him, curled his arm under her neck to pull her close as his hand traveled up the inside of her gown again.

Allura's gaze locked with Keith's as she stroked and squeezed him, discovering what motions and speed he liked best by the way his eyes changed, the way his breath hitched. When she felt him slip a finger inside of her she experienced a moment of panic, and then a moment of shock at how good it felt.

Keith's mouth found hers as he used his finger and thumb to pleasure her, while slowly thrusting into her hand He was close, he was so close, but he wanted her to finish, he wanted to see her face when she slipped over that sweet peak of completion.

"A...Allura!" he gasped when her hand sped up, then and moaned when she immediately released him.

"Am...am I hurting you?" she asked.

"No...no, you...it...feels good. Feels, really, really good."

She started stroking him again, quickening her pace even as he quickened his fingers, now two of them inside her. "Oh...Oh, Keith...what...why...Oh..."

"Do you...like it?" he gasped, struggling with his own desire as he watched hers build higher and higher. He rubbed his thumb over her sweet spot

"Yes! Oh, yes, I...oh...oooohhhhhh, Oh, Keith!" She threw her head back as her body exploded with a flood of unfamiliar sensations and shocking pulsations. Her hand squeezed him hard in reflex and he bit down hard on his lip as his release rocked through him.

They both lay there, panting, a heavy sheen of sweat on their bodies, both with their hands still cupping each other intimately, as they floated back into their limp bodies.

Keith gently pulled his hand away, reveled in her tiny whimper of protest and wrapped his arms around her trembling body, still shaking from the force of her orgasm.

"Are you...okay?"

She murmured something that sounded like a yes, but made no move to move or speak further.

Keith kissed her forehead then carefully climb over her and off the bed. He gripped the nightstand to steady himself, his legs were like jelly and his equilibrium shot, then stumbled to his dresser and pulled out a pair of shorts.

He made it to the washroom and wet a cloth under the cool water. Shedding his sweat pants and briefs, he cleaned up, then pulled on the shorts. He splashed his face with water, then rinsed the cloth again and returned to the bed. Allura had not moved and he smiled as he climbed in beside her again.

"You asleep?" he asked softly. She grunted and his smile widened. He wiped at the hand she has used on him, then turned the cloth around and ignored her mild sound of protest when his hand slipped under her nightgown again. "Ssshh, this will help." He placed the cool cloth against her center and heard her sigh in relief. "Better?"

"Hmmmm." After a moment she turned around to cuddle into him, adjusting the cloth. "Feels like there's a ceremonial band playing around down there."

He chuckled and wrapped his arms around her. "That makes for an interesting picture." Velene had mentioned something similar the first time he had done that to her, which was why he knew the cloth would sooth her. "As long as you enjoyed it."

"Oh, I did," she sighed against him. "When can we do it again?"

He laughed then and caressed her hair. "Later."

"Five minutes?"

"No."

"An hour?"

"Go to sleep, Allura." He could feel her pouting scowl against his chest.

She braced her arms on his chest to rose up and peered down at him. "Did you enjoy it, Keith?"

"Couldn't you tell?" he teased.

"I wasn't really paying attention," she admitted. "I was having an out of body experience, at the time."

"Yeah?" He reached up, cupped her neck and pulled her down for a kiss. "Then you should have been able to see my reaction pretty well from on high."

Allura smiled and leaned into the kiss, then snuggled down against him again. "I'm so sleepy now."

Keith reached across to the lamp on his side table. "Sleep sounds good."

"Night, Keith."

"Sweet dreams, Princess."


	10. Chapter 10

**_If you prefer __M- rated version __of this chapter, which offers __extended _**_**scenes of a mature nature, skip to Chapter 11. It** is exactly the same as this one only with more mature content._

_This chapter is still rated a Strong T for adult themes. We are getting away from the episodes for now and I will be running strictly with Keith and Allura's relationship._

* * *

"Okay, let's call it a day, kids!" Keith announced as he turned his Black Lion back towards the castle.

"Finally!" Hunk cheered through their coms. "I'm starving!"

"You're always starving," Pidge commended.

"I'm a growing boy!"

"If you grow much more you won't fit into Yellow Lion," Lance offered.

Keith shook his head at them as they all returned the cats to their stations. He pressed the release button and was pulled upwards to the launch room, arriving with the other five cat pilots.

"We on free time now?" Hunk asked Keith, immediately.

"Yeah, you're off duty. Go already."

"I'd better go with him or we won't have anything left for dinner."

Keith smirked as Pidge followed Hunk through the doors and Lance sidled up to Allura.

"Fancy a movie, Princess?"

"What did you have in mind, Lance?"

Keith made sure the lions were all powered down and everything was normal around the castle, before turning away from the main console and heading for the door.

"Hey, Keith! Movie, man..."

Keith waved. "Not me, thanks." He wanted a shower, a long hot shower. It had been a gruelling training session and his neck had more knots in it than a pine tree.

He entered his room, slipped off his uniform and immediately stepped into the shower stall. He set the water as hot as he could stand it, then just braced his hands on the wall and dipped his head under the spray so it hit him directly across the neck and shoulders.

It had been almost a month since Allura had started visiting him at night. He didn't feel right going to her quarters because they never knew when Coran might drop in. Some evenings they actually had spent reading, or watching a vid on his personal view screen.

Sometimes she talked about the hardship of dividing her time between being a ruler and a pilot. During one of those talks, she accidentally confessed that as Princess, she had vowed to remain pure until her wedding night; so they could fool around, just no penetration. Keith had been upset that she had neglected to tell him that before they had started this whole thing, but she ended up crying and he forgave her for it, as he always did. Still, it was forever on his mind, because it only proved a reminder that as Princess she had to marry a certain type of man.

Several times they had 'helped' each other with their individual needs, but he was starting to get tired of it. Well, perhaps tired was the wrong word, he loved touching Allura, making her whimper and sigh beneath his touch and he was thrilled whenever she did the same for him, she made him boneless with her soft hands and perfect little mouth. Perhaps frustrated was a better term? Yes. Frustration was defiantly what he had been feeling lately.

They couldn't have sex, no penetration, and while she had basically seen all of him naked, he had yet to see all of her naked. She always wore a dress or night gown to his quarters, and her top half was always covered. He wasn't sure what to think about that. They were both playing with fire, and yet neither of them had the sense to reach for a bucket of water to douse the flames that threatened to consume them.

He showed her no more than his usual affection outside of his room, and she chose to maintain the facade that they were only friends. That frustrated him too. Not that he wanted to tell everyone that he and the Princess were an item, he was too private for that, but sometimes, just sometimes he wanted to kiss her, or hold her hand, or hell just whisper something naughty in her ear; but he couldn't because people were watching. People were always watching.

He loved her. There were no doubts about it now, and he ached at the idea that they could never truly be together. They would have their liaisons, such as they were, until she grew tired of it, or worse, until they got caught, and then he would have to go back to pretending. Eventually he would have to carry that pretense to the next level as he watched her marry whoever Coran chose for her.

Pulling his head up so the spray hit him in the face, he tried to wash away his worries, then turned and reached for the shampoo. He soaped and scrubbed his hair, then pulled his head back to let the water rinse the soap away; wishing it could also wash away his worry and growing heartache.

He was startled by the quiet click of the shower door and his eyes opened as his head reared up. There was Allura, all glorious, naked bit of her, standing in the stall with him. When he opened his mouth she put two fingers to his lips.

"I know," she sighed, and then stepped in and wrapped her arms around him. "I shouldn't be here, but I am here, so enjoy it." She smiled and rubbed her stomach against him. "Oh, look. You already are."

Keith couldn't decide if she was trying to kill him, or just trying to get him killed, and despite his earlier misgivings and concerns, now that she was her here he could only do one thing; enjoy it.

A short while later, Keith, his legs no longer supporting him or her, he let himself slide down the wall and pulled Allura down with him.

She lay against him, panting, exhausted and absolutely sated. "Wh...where did you...learn all...that?"

"I read," he teased, repeating her original response to him.

"We...should get...up."

He pulled his wet hair out of his eyes, then did the same with hers, so that it was no longer sticking to her face. "I...can't walk at the moment."

She giggled, crawled over and pushed a lever to adjust the shower spray so it became a gentle waterfall. She nestled between his legs again, lay her cheek against his chest. "At least it's warm."

"Till the water turns cold."

"Then we'd freeze to death." She giggled. "I can just see Nanny's face, if she still lived here. Could you imagine her finding us here like this?"

He smirked and rubbed her arms. "Nanny better _not_ be coming into my bathroom, ever."

She giggled again and sighed. "I love you, Keith."

He grew still, stopped breathing in shock.

Sensing the abrupt change in him, she raised her head. "Did I ...say something wrong?"

He stared at her and it took several tries to get his brain to find the correct connection to make his mouth work. "You...love me?"

She nodded. "Are you...mad?"

His eyes widened. "No." He pulled her close to him again. "No."

"Good." She sighed again.

Why didn't she ask if he loved her? Why hadn't he told her he had? Keith didn't have any answers, he only knew that the words were stuck in his throat and now that she had said them, he wasn't sure how he could. They could never be together, not forever, not for life.

After another few minutes he started to move, carefully rose and pulled her with him. "We should get dressed."

They pulled on their uniforms and he pulled his wet hair back into a tail, while she piled hers atop her head in a quick, but secure knot.

"Hungry?" he asked.

She smiled and nodded. "Famished!"

"Well then, your Majesty." He bowed, straightened and offered her his arm. "Shall we go to dinner?"

She laughed and slid her arm through his. "Why Commander! I'd be delighted."

They walked down to the dining room, smiling and joking, until they met Lance.

"Hey! Since when do you need a military escort, Princess?"

She grinned and extended her other arm. "Since I have two such handsome teammates, who are willing to accompany me, of course."

"Ah, in that case..." Lance slipped her free hand through his arm and grinned. "It is my great pleasure to accommodate your wishes."

Keith rolled his eyes as they entered the dining room, saw that his team was there along with a few others Arusians. He immediately pulled away and waved at Pidge and Hunk as he headed to their table.

Lance watched Allura's smile weaken into a sad frown as her eyes followed his Commander to their table. He patted her hand. "Commoners," he said and deliberately poked his nose in the air. "No class."

She smiled again, as he intended and walked with him to the table.


	11. Chapter 11

_**DO NOT READ THIS CHAPTER**__ if you have already read Chapter 10. _

_This is a sub-chapter, the same as the previous one, only this is the __**M- rated version **__with extended __scenes. You can read Chapter 10, then __**skip this chapter and go on to chapter 12 if you are under thirteen or are not comfortable with this adult situations and sexual scenes**_

_We are getting away from the episodes for now and I will be running strictly with Keith and Allura's relationship._

* * *

"Okay, let's call it a day, kids!" Keith announced as he turned his Black Lion back towards the castle.

"Finally!" Hunk cheered through their coms. "I'm starving!"

"You're always starving," Pidge commended.

"I'm a growing boy!"

"If you grow much more you won't fit into Yellow Lion," Lance offered.

Keith shook his head at them as they all returned the cats to their stations. He pressed the release button and was pulled upwards to the launch room, arriving with the other five cat pilots.

"We on free time now?" Hunk asked Keith, immediately.

"Yeah, you're off duty. Go already."

"I'd better go with him or we won't have anything left for dinner."

Keith smirked as Pidge followed Hunk through the doors and Lance sidled up to Allura.

"Fancy a movie, Princess?"

"What did you have in mind, Lance?"

Keith made sure the lions were all powered down and everything was normal around the castle, before turning away from the main console and heading for the door.

"Hey, Keith! Movie, man..."

Keith waved. "Not me, thanks." He wanted a shower, a long hot shower. It had been a grueling training session and his neck had more knots in it than a pine tree.

He entered his room, slipped off his uniform and immediately stepped into the shower stall. He set the water as hot as he could stand it, then just braced his hands on the wall and dipped his head under the spray so it hit him directly across the neck and shoulders.

It had been almost a month since Allura had started visiting him at night. He didn't feel right going to her quarters because they never knew when Coran might drop in. Some evenings they actually had spent reading, or watching a vid on his personal view screen.

Sometimes she talked about the hardship of dividing her time between being a ruler and a pilot. During one of those talks, she accidentally confessed that as Princess, she had vowed to remain pure until her wedding night; so they could fool around, just no penetration. Keith had been upset that she had neglected to tell him that before they had started this whole thing, but she ended up crying and he forgave her for it, as he always did. Still, it was forever on his mind, because it only proved a reminder that as Princess she had to marry a certain type of man.

Several times they had 'helped' each other with their individual needs, but he was starting to get tired of it. Well, perhaps tired was the wrong word, he loved touching Allura, making her whimper and sigh beneath his touch and he was thrilled whenever she did the same for him, she made him boneless with her soft hands and perfect little mouth. Perhaps frustrated was a better term? Yes, Frustration was defiantly what he had been feeling lately.

They couldn't have sex, no penetration, and while she had basically seen all of him naked, he had yet to see all of her naked. She always wore a dress or night gown to his quarters, and her top half was always covered. He wasn't sure what to think about that. They were both playing with fire, and yet neither of them had the sense to reach for a bucket of water to douse the flames that threatened to consume them.

He showed her no more than his usual affection outside of his room, and she chose to maintain the facade that they were only friends. That frustrated him too. Not that he wanted to tell everyone that he and the Princess were an item, he was too private for that, but sometimes, just sometimes he wanted to kiss her, or hold her hand, or hell just whisper something naughty in her ear; but he couldn't because people were watching. People were always watching.

He loved her. There were no doubts about it now, and he ached at the idea that they could never truly be together. They would have their liaisons, such as they were, until she grew tired of it, or worse, until they got caught, and then he would have to go back to pretending. Eventually he would have to carry that pretense to the next level as he watched her marry whoever Coran chose for her.

Pulling his head up so the spray hit him in the face, he tried to wash away his worries, then turned and reached for the shampoo. He soaped and scrubbed his hair, then pulled his head back to let the water rinse the soap away; wishing it could also wash away his worry and growing heartache.

He was startled by the quiet click of the shower door and his eyes opened as his head reared up. There was Allura, all glorious, naked bit of her, standing in the stall with him. When he opened his mouth she put two fingers to his lips.

"I know," she sighed, and then stepped in and wrapped her arms around him, pressing naked flesh to naked flesh. "I shouldn't be here, but I am here, so enjoy it." She smiled and rubbed her stomach against his growing erection. "Oh, look. You already are."

Keith couldn't decide if she was trying to kill him, or just trying to get him killed, and despite his earlier misgivings and concerns, now that she was her here he could only do one thing; enjoy it. He let his hands roam over her shoulders, her back and down to her buttocks. He squeezed them gently and smiled at her giggling response.

"To what do I owe the honor of your presence, your Majesty?" he asked as he reached behind her for the soap and started to lather his hands. God, she had lovely breasts, he had to hold himself in check from gleefully ravaging them. Small, but firm and almost perfectly round. And here he was, just moments ago, wondering what they looked like.

"I needed a shower." She bit her lip as he started to soap her back and shoulders.

"Yours not working?" he asked as he lathered his hands some more and brought them around to the front to wash her breasts. Dear God, in Heaven! He couldn't believe he was standing in a shower with the Princess of Arus and washing her tits for Christ's sake! And she was letting him! What was wrong with him?

"Mine was lonely," she said as she took the soap from him, lathered her hands and then reached between them. "Yours was a better choice."

He gasped as she soaped his member, found his hips responding of their own volition and thrusting towards into her deliciously slick hands. "G...good for me." He gently turned her around to face the other wall, then carefully slid his erection between her legs.

"Keith!" she cried in alarm.

"I won't go in," he promised and started to move smoothly against her center and buttocks. "I won't go inside." He leaned his head down against hers as he held her hips firmly to keep her from jerking and creating an accidental entry. "I need this. I just need this."

The feel of him sliding against the throbbing lips of her core was heaven and she whimpered in delight. How would it feel for him to be inside of her, she wondered? Would it feel this good or better? She whimpered again, she wanted him inside of her, her body seemed intent on trying to grab hold and pull him inside.

"Keith!" she cried and arched back against him, harder, trying to make him thrust faster.

"No," he murmured as he firmly caught her around the waist. "Have to...go slow." If he went too fast, if she went too fast he would be inside her in seconds, and he had promised.

"Want more!"

So did he! Good God, so did he, but he would not allow her to break her vow. He would keep her pure, well mostly, until her wedding night.

He used his other hand to slide a finger inside of her, felt her legs tremble at the intrusion, then tighten around his hand and his member. He almost passed out from the thrilling sensation, the incredible heat. Christ! He wasn't even inside of her yet and...it felt so amazing! It had been good with Velene, incredible sometimes, but it was never this intense. He had never felt close then to what he was feeling now.

"I love the way you feel," he whispered as he slid a second finger inside of her while his thumb started to rub that special spot, and always his slow thrusts between her legs continued. "And the way you respond to me."

"You...Oh...You..." She couldn't manage coherent speech, couldn't make what she was thinking come out of her mouth in a lucid manner.

Keith could feel his orgasm building and quickened the pace of his hand until she was writhing and gasping. He considered it a triumph when they exploded together, and then, because his legs could no longer hold him or her up, he let himself slide down the wall and pulled her down with him.

Allura lay back against him, panting, exhausted and absolutely sated. "Wh...where did you...learn all...that?"

"I read," he teased, repeating her original response to him.

"We...should get...up."

He pulled his wet hair out of his eyes, then did the same with hers, so that it was no longer sticking to her face. "I...can't walk at the moment."

She giggled, crawled over and pushed a lever to adjust the shower spray so it became a gentle waterfall. She nestled between his legs again, lay her cheek against his chest. "At least it's warm."

"Till the water turns cold."

"Then we'd freeze to death." She giggled. "Imagine Nanny's face if she still lived here. Could you imagine her finding us here like this?"

He smirked and rubbed her arms. "Nanny better _not_ be coming into my bathroom, ever."

She giggled again and sighed. "I love you, Keith."

He grew still, stopped breathing in shock.

Sensing the abrupt change in him, she raised her head. "Did I ...say something wrong?"

He stared at her and it took several tries to get his brain to find the correct connection to make his mouth work. "You...love me?"

She nodded. "Are you...mad?"

His eyes widened. "No." He pulled her close to him again. "No."

"Good." She sighed again.

Why didn't she ask if he loved her? Why hadn't he told her he had? Keith didn't have any answers, he only knew that the words were stuck in his throat and now that she had said them, he wasn't sure how he could. They could never be together, not forever, not for life.

After another few minutes he started to move, carefully rose and pulled her with him. "We should get dressed."

They pulled on their uniforms and he pulled his wet hair back into a tail, while she piled hers atop her head in a quick, but secure knot.

"Hungry?" he asked.

She smiled and nodded. "Famished!"

"Well then, your Majesty." He bowed, straightened and offered her his arm. "Shall we go to dinner?"

She laughed and slid her arm through his. "Why Commander! I'd be delighted."

They walked down to the dining room, smiling and joking, until they met Lance.

"Hey! Since when do you need a military escort, Princess?"

She grinned and extended her other arm. "Since I have two such handsome teammates, who are willing to accompany me, of course."

"Ah, in that case..." Lance slipped her free hand through his arm and grinned. "It is my great pleasure to accommodate your wishes."

Keith rolled his eyes as they entered the dining room, saw that his team was there along with a few others Arusians. He immediately pulled away and waved at Pidge and Hunk as he headed to their table.

Lance watched Allura's smile weaken into a sad frown as her eyes followed his Commander to the table. He patted her hand. "Commoners," he said and deliberately poked his nose in the air. "No class."

She smiled again, as he intended and walked with him to the table.


	12. Chapter 12

_Thanks everyone for the reviews glad you are enjoying it...time for a little angst... ;-) Now I know that things on Arus probably aren't as strict as I am making them here regarding the Princess and marriage/sex, but I needed to make it that way for the story to unfold. Full creative license in effect. :-)_

* * *

"Your suite is on the thirtieth floor, Princess Allura, you and Commander Kogane have the whole floor." the desk clerk announced with a smile and handed her a rounded key, then turned to the tall handsome commander beside her. "You have room adjoining the Princess', Commander Kogane, as requested."

"Has your security received my instructions?" Keith asked accepting his key from the small man.

"Yes, Sir. Everything has been put in place for the Princess' safety, as per your instructions."

"Good. I'd also like a dossier on those that will posted on our floor, as well as time table of their shifts."

"I shall gather that right away and send it to your data pad, Sir."

Keith nodded and picked up his small overnight satchel, and then grabbed Allura's case, before the bell-boy could. Just because Wade was no longer an issue, didn't mean that there weren't still plenty of enemies or nutcases to worry about, even here on Earth.

He wished he could take Allura out, show her some of his old haunts, maybe stop at his favorite eatery, or take a tour of the academy where he learned how to be a pilot, but he couldn't risk it. Coran had agreed they could come here on their own for a meeting with the Galactic Alliance, but the Princess' safety, as always, was his responsibility.

They stepped into the elevator, just the two of them, and headed up to their assigned floor.

"What time is the meeting tomorrow?"

"0900."

She looked out at the city lights through the glass elevator that rose on the outside of the towering building. It was still early evening here, and she wanted to go out. She had been so excited when Coran had agreed to allowed her to accompany Keith to Earth alone, just the two of them; they would be alone for two whole nights, before having to fly back.

It was lovely spending what time they could manage together in the evenings, and Keith had been very obliging to keep things from going too far, for her sake of course. She could sense he wanted, needed more, and she wished with everything she had that she could give it to him. He was her life-mate, she could feel their strong connection each time she was near him. Not telling him about her vow had been a mistake, but she knew if she had told him previously, he would never have given them a chance.

And they did have a chance, she had to believe that. Somehow, she and Keith would be together, she just wasn't sure yet how that would come to be. But she had faith in their fate, and so she would have to be patient and hope that Keith would do the same and not give up on them.

Keith stopped to speak to the four security men on the floor individually, giving further instructions, before opening the door to Allura's suite. They stepped inside and he set down the bags, then Keith used his Volcom and a secured device of Pidge's design to search for hidden microphones, cameras or possible threats.

Allura waited quietly while her security-conscious boyfriend made the rounds he needed to make to ensure their safety and as soon as he was done, she tossed her arms around his waist and smiled up at him. "Keeeeiith."

He smirked down at her. "No."

"What do you mean no?"

"Whatever you are about to ask, the answer is no."

She pouted and stepped back. "I was just going to ask for a kiss."

He regarded her suspiciously; he wasn't that gullible. He had seen the way she looked out the windows of the transport from the space dock, had seen the same yearning in her eyes that he felt in his belly whenever he was home. The need to get out and see the sights.

"Then, yes." He caught her arm, pulled her back into his arms and kissed her lightly on the lips before releasing her.

"That's all I get?"

He picked up her bag and carried it into her bedroom. "For now," he called over his shoulder as he set her bag on the bed then opened it and started to put away the few items of clothes and toiletries in the dresser provided.

Allura leaned against the door frame and watched him set out her small make up case at a dressing table, retrieving her brush, her hand lotion and a few other things and setting them on the small desk in exactly the manner she set them up at home.

"I do know how to put away my own things."

"Good." He snapped the case shut and set up her Volcom charger by the bed. He wasn't expecting the tackle from behind, which landed them both on the mattress, and he could have easily taken her, but instead he let his Princess pin him down.

"Can I help you?" he asked peering up at her.

"Maybe, I can help you?" she suggested straddling him and leaning down to capture his mouth. His kisses were so incredibly soft and sweet, she loved it, but she also liked it when they were urgent and fierce.

Her touch was like liquid fire against his skin, penetrating his thin layer of clothing with enough heat to burn him from the inside out. Keith moaned into her mouth as their tongues danced, his hands rose up to her hips and pressed her harder against his growing arousal.

She released the fasteners on his uniform jacket and spread her hand over the tight black tank he wore underneath that clung to his muscular chest. "We could..." She gasped as his lips found that sensitive spot on her throat and gently sucked. "Have some...fun here and then...Ahh...Then..."

"No, Allura," he said as he thread his fingers through her hair. "We can't."

"Just for a couple of hours."

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

She slid her hand under his shirt, spread them over his chest, kissed his lips, his throat, his shoulder, then back to his mouth again. "We can wear disguises or something," she murmured against his lips.

He gasped when she lifted his shirt up to his neck and pressed her mouth to his chest. "It isn't safe, Allura." God! He loved the way she made him feel! He gently flipped them so he was on top of her. He rubbed his arousal against her core, so she understood the effect she had on him. "I couldn't keep you safe..."

"I want to go out, Keith!" She groaned, even as she turned her head so his lips could get better access to her neck. Her voice softened. "I so rarely get to come here and I want to spend time roaming your city with you."

Keith understood her need, he felt the same, but he couldn't take the risk! Why didn't she understand that?

He ran his hands over her hips. "We'll order in some pizza, and put on some music..."

She shoved him off of her, climbed off the bed and pushed through the doors to the balcony. "It isn't the same!"

Keith stared at the ceiling and tried to calm his frantic heart beat. It was scary how wound up she could get him with just a few kisses and caresses. "Allura," he moaned and rolled off the bed reluctantly. "I don't have the resources to keep you safe outside in the city."

She moved to the railing and turned her back on him.

Keith sighed and stepped out beside her, but he leaned against the rail rather than hold her, in case anyone was watching. The scents and sounds of the city pulled at him like hunger to a starving man, but he pushed it back. "I want to take you out."

She turned and smiled. "Then let's do it!"

"No, I mean...not just here, today. I want us to be able to be seen together in public, Allura. As...as a..."

"Couple?" she sighed.

"Yes!" God, why did saying it aloud make him feel like complete shit? "Why is that wrong? Why is it wrong that I want to hold your hand at dinner, or watch a movie with my arm around you or...or just give you a kiss for the hell of it, regardless of where we are?"

"There is nothing wrong with it," she assured and touched his arm.

"Then let me ask Coran for permission to officially court you."

"You know what he will say, Keith."

He stormed back inside. "So, what? This is it? The rest of our lives are to be spent like this, secretly grasping for a moment here or there whenever we are off planet, and then the rest of it in my damn room on Arus? We're destined to be together only in secret and separate in public forever? Christ, Allura! We can't even make love..."

"We make love all the time!"

"We have never completed it!" He dropped into a chair and ran his hands through his hair. "I understand why we can't, I do, but...God! Every time we don't I just keep thinking that you have to stay pure for some other man and it...it's killing me, Princess."

She moved to him, knelt and took both his hands in hers. "I know. It is killing me too, Keith."

"Then let me..."

"I cannot! I made a vow, Keith. A vow to remain pure until my wedding night or..."

He straightened and looked down at her. "Or what?"

"Or...Or I must wed the man who took my innocence and..."

"That's the answer. If you think Coran will deny us, we'll tell him we have already slept together and..."

"...And I would be made to step down as Princess of Arus."

He gaped at her. "You...they'd strip you of your title for that?"

She nodded, slowly.

"So...so we can't go to Coran because...because he would deny our request to be married, because I am not of noble birth. But then, he would also know how we feel about each other and God knows what that would mean. And you're saying the only way we could get married is if I took you now, admitted to it, and then watch the people of Arus lose the one person who cares the most about them."

She flinched. "I...I'm afraid so."

"Great. We're screwed!" He rose and stalked across the room. "We're totally screwed. We can't ever be together in public."

"I'm so sorry, Keith." She moved to him, wrapped her arms around him. "I wanted to tell you but..." She had wanted this time with him, had needed to be with him. He made her feel so loved, so cherished, even if it was only inside this pitifully small room. The longer they were together the harder it was to tell him the truth.

"Why?" he sighed. "Why did you even start this?"

"I...I don't know. I just...I liked you so much, Keith and I...I thought maybe you liked me too and then...then I loved you and you made...I mean...I am a Princess, everyone treats me as a Princess, but you, you were the first person to treat me as a friend, and then a teammate and...and you're the only person who has ever treated me like a woman. The only one to ever make me feel like a woman."

"Well, no good deed goes unpunished, does it?"

She rubbed her hands over his arms. "Don't...don't say that. I've been happier with you, in these last few months, than I have ever been in my entire life."

He rose stalked across the room and grabbed his case, moving to his adjoining door.

"Don't leave!"

"I'm...going to my room, Allura."

She rushed to him. "Keith!" Tears filled her eyes. "Don't push me away, please"

"I need to think...I need to be alone to think. Please? Please, just let me go."

* * *

"Just get it done!" Keith snapped and stormed out of the briefing room.

Lance looked at Pidge. "What the hell is with him lately?"

Pidge shrugged. "The Commander has always been kinda moody."

"Not this moody," Hunk insisted and turned his back to them. "I feel like some layers got ripped off. My shirt still there?"

Pidge sighed. "Yeah."

They all felt rather raw after their Commander's rather explosive scolding. Keith wasn't a screamer, in fact, unless you really, really knew him, as they had for years, you couldn't even tell when he was angry or upset. But he was sure pissed today, and anyone could see it.

"He looks tired," Lance stated as they left the room and started down the hall. "I wonder what's bugging him?"

"Maybe it was that whole thing with Wade and Daniel?" Pidge suggested. "It was a little freaky to see Voltron acting under Daniel's control, and Wade merging with that spider beast..."

"No, we've faced worse, well, maybe not worse. Keith doesn't usually cling to things like that.|

Hunk coughed and then cleared his throat, both of his team members stopped to stare at him.

"Do you know what's going on, Big Guy?"

"Who, me? No. I mean how would I know what's goin' on in the Commander's head? I don't know what's goin' on in my head half the time."

"Hunk, if you even suspect what it might be, tell us." Pidge requested. "Things can't go on the way they have been."

Hunk slumped. "I...I don't even know if it is anything."

Lance folded his arms. "Spill it."

"Well, have uh...you guys noticed that...um...the Princess hasn't been on any training missions lately?" Hunk asked, scratching his neck, uneasily. "And only attends some of the briefings?"

"Yeah, so?" Pidge shrugged. "She said that Coran has been keeping her busy with the plans for the Gurandins' arrival next week."

"Yeah, well...um...I kinda talked to Susie, um...Coran's secretary, and she said that the plans have been set for over a week and that the Princess usually doesn't get involved in that end of things."

Lance rubbed his chin. "You think she's avoiding us?"

Hunk sadly nodded.

"Because of the Commander?" Pidge inquired, curious.

"I just think it's weird that he's been so on edge lately, and at the same time that Allura has suddenly been too busy to fly with us."

Pidge considered, nodded. "Make sense. Do you think they got into a fight or something?"

"I dunno, but if so it's gotta be a major fight because they've argued before and it never interfered with our Voltron duties."

Lance nodded, as if coming to a decision. "Right. I'll go find Keith, make him fess up. Pidge, you go talk to Allura."

"Um...Lance, maybe you're not the best person to talk to Keith."

"Huh? Why not? We're friends..."

"Yeah but...you guys sometimes rub each other the wrong way or say something really stupid in front of each other and...well..." Pidge rubbed the bridge of his nose. "He can be pretty defensive when he's in a _good_ mood."

"Yeah." Hunk agreed. "In the mood he's in now, he might just outright kill ya."

"He can try," Lance smirked. "But I see your point. Okay, Pidge, you and Hunk go talk to Commander Hothead and I'll see what I can find out from Allura."

"Why do I gotta go?" Hunk demanded.

"In case Keith isn't in the mood to talk. We can't have Pidge becoming a green smear on the castle grounds, now can we?"

"Yeah, I vote not," Pidge agreed, and adjusted his glasses. "Come on Hunk."

They headed off in opposite directions.

Lance found Allura in the gardens, dressed in her flight suit, despite the fact she had not attended the briefing or training today, and twirling an exotic flower in her hands.

"Hey, Princess." He dropped down beside her, slid his arm over the back of the bench behind her. "How about I escort you to dinner and then we watch a movie?"

"No, thank you, Lance. I'm not hungry."

"Even Princesses have to eat."

She offered him a small smile, which quickly faded as she turned back to look out blankly at the gardens again. "Maybe later."

He pulled his arm back and leaned towards her. "What's going on, Allura?"

"Nothing is going on."

"We've hardly seen you all week, you've been taking your meals in your room and you haven't broken up an argument between me and Keith in ages."

Allura's eyes filled at the mention of the Commander's name and she averted her eyes. "I've been busy."

"We're all busy, but we used to take time to play together as well as work." He touched her shoulder. "I thought we were friends?"

She turned to him, appalled. "Oh we are!" Oh, Lance, of course we are, but I..." She bit her lip and looked away again, but not before Lance saw the tears, the intense sadness in her eyes.

"Allura, what is it, honey? What's got you so upset?"

She shook her head. "I...It's just..." She suddenly threw herself at him, felt his arms wrap around her without hesitation and broke. "I love him!"

"Love who? Who do you love?"

She shook her head, coiled her arms around his neck and buried her face in his chest.

It came to him, suddenly, and as the pieces fell into place he understood the cause of her weeping. For several moments he was speechless, and then, then he was sighed because it was all so obvious.

"Keith?" he asked, softly. "You love Keith?"

She nodded and continued to sob.

"Have you told him?"

Another nod.

"Does...did he not..." He felt a flash of anger at his friend and indignation for her. "He doesn't...care for you too?"

She shook her head, sat up and wiped at her tears. "I...I think he does. He...he hasn't said it, but I...I think he does." She accepted the handkerchief he offered her and blew her nose. "Thank you." She sighed heavily and stared out at the garden again. "He...he wanted to ask Coran for...permission to...to court me, only..."

"Coran might say no."

"I'm sure of it, well, maybe not him, but I'm sure the council will. As much as I love Keith I can't...I can't marry against the council's wishes." She wiped her eyes again. "It's such an old, antiquated law. Such a stupid law that I can only marry someone royal or of noble blood."

"Isn't there anything else that can be done?" Lance asked. "The Commander is a good guy, he's defended Arus and other worlds for several years now, we all have. That has to count for something, doesn't it?"

She sniffed and shook her head. "No, not to those ancient fools who sit on the council. They respect him, all of you, really, for what you do for us, but in the end they consider it something you should be grateful to do for us. They're such a bunch of hypocritical fools."

"That really...sucks."

She released a watery laugh. "It most certainly does."

"And there's no other way? What if there were no noblemen or princes or whatever available, who do they expect you to marry then? Or would they expect you to remain the Virgin queen like one of Earth's old ancestors?"

"I don't know, Lance. I mean, they wouldn't force me into a marriage with someone that I didn't approve of, but still, they make my choices very limited." She blew her nose again and balled the handkerchief in her hand. "I did tell Keith there was a way we could be together, but he...he refused and became very upset when I told him."

"What way was that?"

She took a deep breath, and thought, what the heck, she'd already told him most of it. She had needed someone to talk to. "If Keith and I had sex out of wedlock, they would insist he and I marry, because I am meant to be pure for my wedding night."

"Oh...kay, and he vetoed that?"

"No, he vetoed..." She looked at him. "What does that mean?"

"Refused to go along with it."

"Then yes, yes he vetoed it, because if I do not remain pure for my wedding night, I can marry the man but I have to step down as Princess of Arus."

"Holy Shit!" He winced as he remembered he was in the presence of royalty. "Sorry, Princess."

"It's fine." She waved her hand, dismally. "It is holy shit, whatever that means. It is absolutely Holy Shit."

Lance released a heavy breath and pulled her into his arms. "We'll figure this out," he promised. "There has to be a way for you guys to be together without you losing the throne or Keith losing his position." Or his head, he thought grimly. "We're a team and we've faced bigger challenges. Don't worry, we'll figure it out."

"Comfy?" a familiar voice asked and Allura's blood ran cold as she and Lance pulled apart and looked up to find Keith standing behind them. "Cosy?"

"Keith..."

"Hey, man," Lance rose and smiled. "We were just..." The rest of his words were blanketed by the sharp blow to his jaw that landed him flat on his ass in a flower bed. "What the hell?"

"Found him!" Hunk called back to Pidge, who was jogging up to them.

"Have fun with your new toy," Keith growled quietly at Allura. "I'm sure he'll be more than happy to show you a few things to add to your collection."

"Keith!" she cried after him as he strode away.

"Uh...lost him." Hunk sighed, then walked over to offer a hand to Lance. "What you doin' down there Lieu?"

"Plotting revenge," he muttered and wiped the blood off his lip. "First, I'll knock him on his ass. Then I'll..."

"Lance, don't!" Allura jumped up and put her hands on the furious Lieutenant's chest. "He didn't mean it! He thought we were...He thought..." Her lower lip trembled as her eyes filled with tears again.

"Right!" Lance pointed at her. "So he's besmirched my honor _and_ made you cry, again. That deserves at least a week in medical."

"No, no more fighting, please." She shook her head, sadly. "This is all my fault. I...Keith was right I...I started this without considering the long term consequences. I...Only I can fix it." She walked off and the others watched her.

"Sorry, what did she start?" Pidge asked.

"Long story that doesn't bear repeating." Lance wiped his lip again and stalked away.

"I'm so confused," Hunk whined.


	13. Chapter 13

_Thanks to Limetwist, Nutella Junkie, Cpt. Kallan Beyda, Paulina Ann, cubbieBlueMako, sunshineleo and Morelie for all the great reviews. Please, please, please keep 'em coming!_

_And Kudos to Nutella Junkie for guessing the next guest cameo character! Enjoy!_

* * *

Allura knocked on the small cottage door and waited anxiously on the other side. There was no one else she could talk to about this, not without causing further trouble, and she did need to talk to someone.

A moment later a petite, grey haired woman opened the door and smiled at her. "Princess!"

Allura sighed as her old Nanny's arms slid around her, and the damn broke.

"What is this? What is this?" the old woman quickly ushered the Princess inside and settled her at a simple breakfast table. "Has one of your team been injured, my lady?"

Allura shook her head and continued to sob.

Nanny tsked and immediately put the kettle on for tea. She prepared it efficiently; as she did all things, then set two cups on the table and a small plate of cookies. She waited patiently while Allura composed herself.

"S...sorry, Nanny." Allura wiped her eyes with the handkerchief Nanny offered her and picked up her tea with a shaky hand. "I'm a mess."

"So I see. Tell me what has happened?"

After a sip of her tea, Allura said. "Commander Kogane and I have...um...well we started to have a...ah...a relationship, Nanny."

Nanny nodded and reached for a cookie. "I see."

Allura nodded, miserably. "You...You don't seem surprised."

"One cannot keep the moon and tide separate, my lady, one reacts to the other regardless of circumstance."

"But...you were always so protective of me. You were always harassing the boys to stay away from me, especially Keith."

"When you were a young, innocent girl, of course! That was my job. You are no longer that girl, but a grown woman, capable of making her own choices." Nanny sat back and sipped her tea quietly. "I have known that the Commander has always loved you, as you have always loved him. You simply had to grow into it."

"I...I thought you would disapprove."

Nanny frowned. "Why would I do that?"

"Well, because..." Allura realized that she didn't have an answer. Nanny wouldn't care if Keith was a nobleman, that was the Council's issue. She nodded. "Well, thank you then, though it's a mute point now."

"Why?"

"Keith hates me."

"Why would you say that?"

"Well, I...I..." Allura buried her face in her hands again. "I don't know why! I'm so confused."

Nanny rose, topped up their cups then settled again. She put her hands over Allura's and gently said. "Tell me everything, from the beginning, my dear."

Allura took a deep breath, then told Nanny everything that had happened between her and Keith, including her spending time in his room.

"Have you been intimate with him?"

Allura flushed and nodded, knowing that to lie about it would not help her get the answers she needed, not now. "We haven't...I mean...it's never gone to...far, but yes we have been intimate."

Nanny nodded in approval. "It is good he respects your vow."

"Oh, well...it isn't that. I mean, he does, but...well...I only just recently told him about that."

"Recently?" Nanny regarded her quietly. "How recently?"

Allura's face grew so hot she was sure it would burst into flame and she took a sudden interest in the pattern of her teacup. "A little over a week ago."

"And you have been...intimate with him for how long?"

"A... about um...six...six weeks." Allura was startled when the older woman slammed her cup on the table and rose.

"You allowed this young man to believe you could be his?" Nanny began furiously. "_Before_ telling him of your vow of chastity, or fully explaining the responsibilities of that vow?"

"It...it wasn't like that, Nanny! I just didn't..."

"What if he had forced you?"

"Keith would never do that!"

"What if you both had gotten swept away in your passion and you ended up breaking your vow? You are risking your right to rule, Allura!"

"I...I know, I told him that and that was when he got so very upset. He doesn't want me to lose my crown and he doesn't want me to break my vow, but Nanny I love him and I want to be with him, but I don't know how we can be!"

"So instead you lie? You lay with him, in his bed, in his arms and deliberately hide that you were to remain pure?"

"No! I mean...I...well, first I was just trying to get him to admit he liked me and then...I...well there was this other woman who seemed so open and free with Keith and so I thought if I was that way with him he would open up to me too, and..."

"I should take you over my knee and spank you severely!"

Allura paled at the threat. "I...I don't understand. What did I do wrong?"

"You allowed this young man to hope, child! You played with his affections, and then threw them back at him!"

"No! I didn't! I want to be with Keith! I was only trying to..."

"You were not honest with him, Allura. You cannot do this...such things with a man and practice dishonesty."

Allura began to cry again. "I wasn't trying to be dishonest! I just wanted to be with him and..."

"But you could not be! You could not be with him in the way a man needs a woman to be with him, Allura! You gave him hope for that future then crushed it."

"But he...if I had told him before...before it began he wouldn't have even given us a chance..."

"You do not know that! Commander Kogane is an honorable man and his feelings run deep for you. You cannot know if he would have accepted the fact or not, but you did not give him the proper chance to chose. Instead you allowed him to believe he could have more than you could give."

"He...he said he was okay with it...after I told him, he...He said that was fine. It wasn't until I told him that I could lose my crown that he became so upset. I..."

Nanny sighed and sat again. "Oh, Allura. I raised you better than this." She shook her head and reached for her tea. "Or thought I did. Perhaps I was too zealous in keeping the young men away. Perhaps if I had allowed you more freedom with them you would understand how wrong this was."

Allura, tears streaming down her face, fell to her knees by the older woman and laid her head in Nanny's lap, just as she once did as a child. "I didn't know what else to do, Nanny. I've never been in love before and...and when Captain Zale showed up I realized that Keith might..."

"Might what, child? Might choose another woman?"

Allura nodded.

"You cannot base a relationship on fear. Do you truly love the Commander or are you just afraid of losing him to someone else?"

"Both."

Nanny sighed and shook her head as she brushed her hand over Allura's hair.

"Oh, Nanny, I do want to be with him, and there...I'm trying to find a way...but Keith isn't a nobleman and...and...I have to marry a nobleman or a prince or..."

"Yes, you must." Nanny nodded. It was tradition, it was expected.

She considered all that her darling girl had gone through these last ten years; so much loss and devastation. Arus had been near reduced to rubble when the forces of Planet Doom had attacked. Eight percent of their population had either fled the planet on prepared ships or had been captured by Doom's men.

Allura had almost single handedly rebuilt their civilization. She had given up any comforts or hope of a normal life to be a leader and a pilot, to defend her people and to make Arus the prosperous planet that it once was. The girl had never considered the concept of selfishness or put herself first, she had always put others before her. She'd had no chance to live the life of a Princess, or even a girl.

It was no wonder really that the one time she tried to get something for herself, she made a complete muck of it. Now... now Allura had the chance to find a little happiness, a little normality. Why shouldn't she be allowed to reach for that? Why shouldn't she be allowed to have some little piece after all she had sacrificed? After everything each member of the Voltron Force had done for them, surely Arus owed them more than just a word of thanks?

"Why must you?" Nanny suddenly demanded, caught Allura's chin and pulled it up to meet her gaze.

Allura blinked. "W...what?"

"Why must you marry a nobleman or prince?" Nanny asked. "You are the Princess of Arus, you will one day be Queen. You should make your own choices who you shall marry."

"But...it's the way it has always been. My vow..."

"Your vow is important, yes, and should not be taken lightly. Every royal lady of Arus has taken this vow and you should honor it."

"But you...you just said it wasn't fair to Keith..."

"Is this man truly the one for you? Is he is the man who will live with you all of your days, my dear?"

Allura nodded. "Yes. I love him, I don't want anyone else but him."

"Does he feel the same?"

"I think so."

"Well then, there can be no judgement on when you consummate that love."

Allura wiped at her face and gaped at Nanny. "Are...are you actually telling me to sleep with Keith?"

"I am telling you nothing, merely suggesting that you follow your heart, Allura."

"But...he isn't...The law...the laws state..."

"You have already built a new Arus, so why can you not make new decrees as well?"

"I...I can't just change the rules. I...the council..."

"This is not a matter for the council, my dear. How can they trust you to rule your people, but not your own heart? No, Allura, it is your choice."

"They will take my crown..."

Nanny, in a rare fit of temper, slammed her hand on the table. "They will take your crown when they rip it from my cold dead fingers, and from those of your people! You are the Princess of Arus, there is no other, and they cannot rule you." Nanny settled again. "As for that nonsense of marrying a nobleman, is it not for a King or Queen to decide who is noble and who is not?"

Allura hadn't thought of that. "I..."

She could make Keith a Knight or a duke or anything really. She could Knight all of her team members if she wanted to. Why hadn't she considered that before? She knew why, because the council and Coran had trained her not to think of them that way. But would Keith accept that? He was so adamant about earning his way, that he often wouldn't even accept the accomplishments he had made as justified for such a reward.

"I don't know if Keith would accept, Nanny. He seems...sometimes he seems intent on pushing a wedge between us because of the difference in our status. I don't know if he does it deliberately or out of habit or if he is just trying to be honorable, but...I don't know that it will make a difference if I change his status." She sighed. "In the end, my telling him he is worthy will not automatically make him feel worthy."

Nanny sighed deeply and sipped her tea. "Well, there is only one thing you can do."

"Tell me and I'll do it."

"You must apologize for your foolishness to the commander, explain what you are willing to do for him, and then allow him to chose what happens next."

"But what if he..."

Nanny raised her finger and Allura, out of habit, fell silent. "It is time to grow up, my lady. You will offer him the choice and if he chooses not to accept your solution, then you will walk away with dignity and say no more about it."

"But I love him!"

"Loving someone means you do what is best for them, not for yourself. This must be his choice and you must be completely honest with him."

Allura rose and turned to look out the small cottage window. This was her mistake. She should have been upfront with Keith from the start. If he choose not to be with her...how would she manage? She straightened her shoulders. She was a Princess of Arus, she would just have to manage.

"Thank you, Nanny," she said as she folded her arms around the smaller woman. "You are right. It is time I grew up."

"You will always be my little girl." Nanny kissed her cheek and walked her to the door. "Allura, love is not only being swept away by a handsome man, it is about considering the other person's needs before your own and accepting their faults along with their good qualities."

Allura nodded. "Yes. I'll remember."


	14. Chapter 14

_Thanks for the reviews, please keep them coming they help me so much with the story! Well, now that Nanny has had her chat with Allura, she has to face the music with Keith. Let's see how she does._

* * *

The next day, Keith was still in a mood, only instead of scolding's and snapping at people, he had gone deathly quiet and spoke only when he had to. He would barely acknowledge Lance, who was just as upset with Keith, and Pidge and Hunk were anxiously waiting for the two to explode and have it out.

When Lance threw Keith especially hard during a hand to hand training session in the gym, Keith retaliated by sweeping Lance's legs out from under him and landed a firm elbow to his solar plexus. Lance immediately brought his palm up and caught Keith on the chin, knocking the Commander backwards.

"What the hell!" Keith rolled to his feet and rubbed his jaw. "Why'd you hit me?"

"I owed you!" Lance snapped and slowly rose from the floor.

"Yeah, will here's your change." When Keith swung his fist but Hunk caught his Commander around the waist and physically pulled him away from their Lieutenant.

"Come on, fellas, this is not cool," the yellow lion pilot insisted. "We're a team here, remember?"

"We're not a team anymore!" Lance sneered. "Thanks to him!"

"What is that supposed to mean?" Keith growled and shrugged Hunk off.

"Where's Allura, Keith? Why doesn't she come to the meetings anymore? Why doesn't she come to dinner with the rest of us, huh?"

"How the hell should I know, I'm not her keeper!"

"No, you're just an asshole who likes to make women cry."

Keith's gaze darkened and his hands curled into fists. "Then by all means, Lance, go comfort her. Seems she liked it well enough last time."

"Screw you, Keith!"

"Stop!" Pidge pleaded. "Guys, stop fighting!"

When Princess Allura entered the training room, everyone stopped and turned. She was dressed in blue and white work out gear, her expression unreadable.

"I'd like to go next with the Commander," she said firmly.

Keith stalked over to the towel rack. "Practice is over."

"Surely you can stay and _help_ me with some of my moves, Commander," she insisted. "After all, you are our leader, and I have been away from things for awhile."

"Ask Lance for help," he suggested quietly and hated that he let his jealousy get the better of him. "Or try to be here more often."

Oh, yes, his voice was quiet, perfectly normal and reasonable, but Allura could feel the rage radiating off of him. She met Lance's eyes, who seemed almost as angry and frustrated as Keith's were.

He sighed and nodded to her in understanding. "I'm done for the day," Lance sneered and grabbed his towel and water bottle. "You're the leader, you train her."

"Yeah!" Pidge agreed, grabbing his towel. "And I gotta...uh...go...invent something."

Hunk shrugged. "Sorry Commander, you're on your own with this one."

Keith watched the door slide closed behind the other members of his team, glanced at Allura, then dropped the towel over his shoulder and snatched up his work out bag. "I guess you're out of luck, Princess."

He did not expect her to grab his arm as he passed and flip him onto his back.

"Oh, I think my luck is about to change, Commander." She assumed a defensive pose.

Keith rolled to his feet. "Find someone else." He turned away again, only to have her land on his back. Instinct took over, and he rolled, twisted and pinned her within ten seconds. "Damn it Allura! Leave me alone!"

She caught his foot as he rose and started to step around her, moving as fast as the cat she piloted, she snaked up his body and pinned his right arm while her legs wrapped around his neck. "How dare you raise your voice to me," she scolded mildly. "I am your Princess."

Keith could feel the heat radiating from between her legs and tried not to think about how close his head was to her...He felt himself harden instantly and it enraged him. He tried to buck her off, but the way she had him pinned he only had one move he could use on her, but he wasn't willing to use it, because it could end up really hurting her.

Instead he went limp. "Fine, you win. You beat me. Now may I leave, your Majesty?"

The coldness in his words pierced her heart. She had only meant to confront him, to apologize as Nanny had suggested, but the ice in his voice had robbed her of all the bravado she had managed to collect.

She slowly released him and remained on the mat as he rolled to his feet again and grabbed his bag.

"You're such a coward."

He paused at the door and turned back. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me." She rose slowly, gathered her courage again, because she knew if she didn't make a stand here, if she didn't face this now she would have no other chance. "You were running for almost two years, Keith. When are you going to stop?"

"Do I look like I'm running, Princess?"

"What else do you call it? You avoid talking to me unless you absolutely have to. You hide away in your room or your office, or fly off on that stupid machine of yours for hours, just so you won't have to face your responsibilities here. What else would you call it if not running?"

Keith dropped his bag, furious that she dared to call his dedication to his duty into question. "I have _never_ neglected my responsibilities! I do everything I am required to do, hell I do more than I am required to in order to keep Arus and everyone else safe and happy!"

"What about me, Keith?"

"What about you?"

"Am I not your responsibility too?"

"You're safe."

"But I'm not happy."

Keith blinked, then scowled and reached for his bag again. "I don't have time for this."

"Like I said, still running."

He stalked over to her, caught her arm. "Fine! I'm running! Is that what you want to hear? But I'm only running in circles, Princess, because of you. Because you have got me spinning around like a damn top and I don't know how to stop it!"

"Then stop spinning and fight for me!"

He gaped at her. "How am I supposed to do that? You've made it clear that we can't be together, so how exactly would you like me to do that? I can't be the person you need me to be, Allura. I can't give you what you need and I can't interfere in your right to rule. Now leave it at that..."

"But, Keith, there is a way! What if..."

"Stop!" He pushed away from her and snatched up his bag again. "For Christ's sake, Allura! I don't need to hear anymore what ifs, I can't deal with it. Can't you leave me some scrap of dignity or pride? Can't you stop tearing me to pieces long enough that I can at least pretend to be whole?"

"I...I'm sorry."

Keith turned away and moved to the door, then heard the one sound in the universe that could cause him to shatter. He slowly turned to see Allura, now curled on the mat, her head on her knees, her arms wrapped around them and her body hitching suspiciously.

The door opened and he let it close again, then leaned his head against it and let the bag drop to the floor. What did she expect him to do? He couldn't be with her! They couldn't be together unless it was in secret and he couldn't live like that! No one could live like that.

He straightened and glanced back at her again. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it! With a sigh and a soft curse he walked back to the mats, dropped down beside her and pulled her against him.

"Don't. Don't cry, please." He caressed her hair, felt her tremble against him and bit hard on the inside of his cheek. "Please, Princess. I can't stand it when you cry."

"I'm sorry," she sobbed. "I'm sorry I did this to you, to us. I'm sorry I have to be...who I am and not more...more experienced in this sort of thing. I'm sorry for misleading you and...I...I just...I just love you, that's all. I just love you."

He took a deep breath, slowly released it and rocked her. "I love you too," he whispered and rolled his eyes when she started to cry harder. "Christ! That wasn't supposed to upset you more!"

She shook her head, pulled back and wiped at her eyes. "I'm sorry, Keith. I don't care about the council or our status or any of that. I just want to be with you." Her hands clung to his shirt, desperate. "I just want you."

"I know." He wanted to be with her too, more than anything and he had been racking his brain trying to figure out a way, then growing more angry and more frustrated because he couldn't.

"Do...do you want me to...give up my crown?"

"No. You can't, Allura."

She pulled back, looked him in the eye. "I can Knight you, Keith. I can do that and then..."

"No." His lips set in a firm line. He did not want to be knighted just so he could be a Queen's consort. "That's something I need to earn, Allura."

"You have earned it! All of you have and..."

"No."

"Then what?" she demanded, frustrated. "What can we do?"

He leaned his forehead against hers. "I don't know. I just don't know."

"I miss you. I miss talking to you."

"I miss you too." He pushed her hair away from her face and cupped her cheek. "God, I've missed you so much." His lips were upon hers before she could think of a reply, and she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Keith," she sighed as he slowly pushed her flat on the mat. "Oh, Keith."

"Come to my room tonight," he whispered as he nibbled at her neck, slid his hand beneath her shirt and caressed her soft, flat stomach.

"But...you said..."

"I know. I know what I said." He kissed her, long, slow and achingly deep. "Come anyway. We'll figure something out. We have to." His lips were on her again and suddenly they heard the door open.

In an instant he rolled so he was flat on his back and had pulled her with him. Allura, also quick to catch on quickly put her arm across his throat and her knee pressed against his groin.

"Good!" Keith told her. "That's the perfect way to get out of that hold, Princess."

She smiled and rose. "Thank you, Commander." She offered him a hand up. "I appreciate the lesson."

"It's what I'm here for."

She discretely wiped at her face, then turned to their visitor. "Coran, did you need something?"

"I have some documents I need you to sign, Princess," the older man advised. "They are in my office."

"Oh, well, let's go get them then." She gasped as the warning siren sounded.

"Looks like it will have to wait, Princess," Keith said as he used his Volcom to change into his uniform. "Sounds like we've got trouble."

They made it to the control room in record time, and Keith tried to push back his frustration at him and Allura being interrupted yet again.

"We're picking up a distress call," Hunk advised as he and Pidge worked the center hologram control panels.

"It's from an Arusian explorer ship," Pidge continued. "But the transmission is encrypted with a very old code."

"I didn't know there were any explorer missions going on now."

"Hunk," Lance sighed as he folded his arms across his chest. "If the news didn't come with a guitar riff and booming drums, you probably wouldn't notice it."

"Harsh," Hunk retorted. "But fair."

Daniel scowled. "The distress call says their under attack from a Drule fleet."

Keith finally snapped. "Less talking, more rescuing." He headed for his Lion entry pod chamber, wanting to get to this mystery ship and then get back home so he and Allura could talk more.


	15. Chapter 15

_**If you prefer M- rated version of this chapter, which offers extended **_**_scenes of a mature nature, skip to Chapter 16. _**

_This chapter is still rated a Strong T for adult themes. Thank you everyone for the reviews and for your patience. I am so sorry for making you wait but was momentarily blocked and then when the block dissolved I frantically began to write. I am not at all sure about the result, but I hope you will find it worth the wait. Extra special thanks to cubbieBlueMako who continues to tweet my posts to the masses.  
_

* * *

Allura entered her palace rooms and immediately walked to over to her small kitchenette. She started to fix herself a cup of tea, then set it aside and pulled out a bottle of wine. Pouring a generous glass, she sighed and ran her hand over her face.

Keith was Arusian. How could she not have known that? Was that why she felt such a connection with him? Was the truth of his heritage what had allowed her to sometimes pick up his thoughts and feelings?

And poor Keith, what a shock it had been for him, for both of them, really, but she recovered fairly quickly when she realized that this new discovery was the answer to their problem. If Keith really was descended from a Knight of Arus, he had the right to court her. She had been about to say that very thing to him, when they were faced with the ship headed to collide with Voltron. Then they were ejected into space and she'd been too concerned for her teammates to comment.

She was sure that Keith would want to talk to her about it once the battle was over, however, he barely said a word on the way back to the castle and once the briefing was over he excused himself citing work in his office. When he didn't show up for dinner, Allura had been hurt and a little angry, but then realized how very upset he must be.

Here she was, thinking only of herself, yet again, and how this new dynamic would allow them to be together, and there was Keith, who had just learned that everything he knew about himself and his life was wrong. Nanny had been right; she was acting like a selfish child and deserved to be spanked.

They had just agreed to try things again too, and it had been such a stressful week for both of them already. She couldn't even imagine what he was going through, or how she could comfort him for something like this. Would he even accept her comfort?

"What a mess," she muttered and moved into her bedroom, going straight to her dressing table and setting her glass upon it.

She pulled off her tiara and settled it against the soft, specifically formed velvet in her crown box, then she pressed a button on her Volcom and removed the illusion of clothing, leaving her in tiny pink panties and a matching bra. She set the device on its charger, then picked up her brush and started to remove any tangles from her long hair.

"We've defiantly got to brush up on your surveillance skills, Princess."

She spun around, startled with her hand to her heart, and stared at Keith who was calmly lounging on her bed, his back against the headboard, an almost empty glass of wine in his hand. "Where...where did you come from?"

His face darkened a little. "Jury's still out on that one." He set his glass down, rose and walked over to her.

"Oh, shoot...I...I'm sorry, Keith. I didn't mean that." How could she have said that to him after all that had happened today? She was such an idiot. Laying her head on his chest, she sighed as his arms enveloped her. "I didn't see you there. I'm sorry."

"That's okay, you looked pretty preoccupied." Keith lifted her chin and touched his lips to hers in a gentle, unobtrusive kiss. "Rough day?"

She smirked. "For both of us." She rubbed his chest with her hand. "How are you doing?"

Keith took a deep breath, then released it. "Well, I've had three whiskies and two glasses of wine, so I am well on my way to being completely smashed, but on the plus side I have a beautiful, half naked woman in my arms, so things are looking up."

Allura didn't find his reply amusing in the least. Keith rarely drank heavily, and even when he did it was just a beer or two with the guys, certainly not to excess. This thing was really affecting him. "Oh, Keith."

"Stop that." He stepped away from her suddenly and moved back to the bed to finish off the wine he left on the bedside table. "I don't want to be pitied right now, Allura."

She moved up behind him, wrapped her arms around him and rested her cheek against his back. "Then tell me what you do want and I'll give you that."

He stared down at his empty glass, broodingly. "I want to make love to you."

Her heart skipped a beat. "O...Okay."

"But we can't do that, so...I'll settle for holding you for a little while."

"Keith, we can. If you really want..."

He turned in her arms, caught her chin again. "Not yet."

"B...but why? Keith, you're Arusian! We can be together now and..."

"It isn't about that. Right now I'm confused and...and angry. I want to make love to you, but it's for the wrong reasons." He caressed her cheek gently. "I can wait until it's for the right reason." He sighed heavily and leaned his forehead head against hers. "I shouldn't have come here."

"Why?" she demanded and caught his face between her hands. "Why shouldn't you? Isn't this what it is to be in a relationship? To be able to offer comfort to each other?"

Keith's hands caressed her hips. "I want more than comfort, Allura, and I've had a lot to drink." He stepped back with another sigh. "I shouldn't have come here. Not like this, in this state. I'm sorry."

Allura thought about what Nanny had said, about how shameful she had acted by allowing Keith to touch her without revealing her vow. Then she considered the purpose of that vow, and what Nanny had said about her being able to change the rules.

Making her decision, she pulled Keith back to her and kissed him.

Keith immediately responded and allowed himself to be swept away by her touch, her scent. He wanted to forget, just for a little while, the images of the holograms and the doubts and fear and anger that he had been experiencing since they returned from that damn ship.

"Allura!" He pulled back, when he felt his thin control start to slip. "I...I need to go."

"You need to stay."

"I can't..." He closed his eyes tightly and pulled away from her a second time. "I don't know if I can control myself."

She knew how much it killed him to say such a thing, but instead of giving into him, she put her fingers over his Volcom and pressed the button to dissolve his uniform, leaving him in his black tank and shorts. "I want this Keith. I want this with you."

"But...I'm drunk."

"You're not that drunk or you wouldn't be protesting so much." She gently shoved him on to the bed and crawled over him, "And I've heard from both Lance and Hunk that you can drink both of them under the table, so if all you had was a bit of whiskey and wine you're nowhere near drunk yet."

"That was before, Allura, when we were all a lot younger." Keith tried to crawl backwards, intending to get off on the other side, but as he neared the middle of the bed Allura straddled him. He sat up, trying to stop her and almost fainted at the intimate position it put them in. "What about your vow? Allura, we can't..."

"I am the Princess of Arus, soon to be Queen." She pulled his tank top off to reveal his sculpted, bare chest. "I make the rules and I can break the rules."

His eyes widened. She was serious! "You'll lose your crown!"

She shoved him onto his back, nipped at his chin, then licked her way down his throat, the way he had done to her several times before. "The hell I will."

Keith watched as she pulled off her bra and tossed it over her head before pressing those wonderful breasts against his flesh. He moaned. "Not like this. It shouldn't be like this."

She lifted up on her elbows and grinned down at him. Now that she had made up her mind, almost all of her previous anxiety about having sex fled her mind. "How did you want it to happen?"

"On our wedding night! With...flowers and...and candles and music!"

Her expression softened. "Why Keith, is that a proposal?" She giggled at his momentarily horrified expression. "Is that a no then?"

"I...I...Damn it, Allura, you're not letting me do this right."

"I'm trying to but you're putting up an awful fight." She captured his lips again, eliciting another delightful moan from him. "I have candles and I can put on some music." She pressed fully against him with her body. "And we can pretend it is our wedding night."

"I...I..." He didn't know what else he could, say. He searched for the proper way to explain things to her and then, suddenly, she rocked against him and al thoughts were lasted from his mind.. "Allura," he groaned and felt himself harden instantly.

She smiled, suddenly shy as she pulled back the covers and slid between the sheets. "Make love to me me, Keith. I...I want this. I want you."

He climbed between the sheets with her because he was helpless to do anything else. "You aren't ready for this, Allura."

She leaned in, wrapped her arms around his neck. "Then make me ready, Keith."

He slid in beside her, touched her, kissed her and caressed her; her body reacted as if it was born to respond to him and only him. "Are you sure?" He whispered as he suckled her neck. "Are you absolutely sure, Allura?"

Her response was immediate and breathy as his fingers reached the juncture of her thighs. "K...Keith. P...Please?"

Later, Allura let her legs fall straight as she stared up at the ceiling and gasped. "Am I dead?" she whispered. "I can't feel anything. I must be dead."

Keith chuckled wearily, rolled onto his back. "It'll come back in a minute."

She gasped as pins and needles shot through her legs and even her ass. "Owww! What _is_ that?"

"Told you."

She curled against him as he slid back in beside her and sighed. "Are you as happy as I am?"

He nodded. He still would have preferred to wait, she had made a vow after all, but he couldn't deny that he felt pretty damn amazing at that moment.

"Will you stay the night?" she asked softly.

Keith was quiet for a long moment, then nodded again. "Yeah." He didn't want to leave her, not now. He turned on his side so he could look down at her. "Are you okay?"

"Better than okay." She stretched luxuriously, from her fingers all the way to her curled toes. "How long before we can do that again?"

Keith groaned and chuckled. "I've created a sex fiend."

She giggled and crawled over him, laying her body flush against his and delighted at how his eyes darkened with renewed desire. "I'm not sure what that means, but if it means you've made me want you more than absolutely you have."

"In that case, just give me a few minutes."

She pressed her lips to his, sighing when he deepened the kiss and curled his arms around her.

"Princess?"

Coran's voice sounded outside her door as the chime dinged.

"Crap!" Keith hissed as Allura scrambled off him and he quickly rolled sideways to land on the floor on the other side of the bed. With barely a sound, his cat like reflexes allowed him to catch himself on his hands and toes to prevent any noise.

Allura dropped her head on the pillow and adjusted the sheets up to her neck. "Yes, Coran?" She spotted Keith's shirt at the end of the bed, bounced up, nabbed it and pulled it under the covers with her just as her door slid open.

The advisor smiled at her. "Forgive me, Princess. I did not realize you had already retired." He lifted a data pad. "These are the reports you requested, I thought you would like to review them before tomorrow's meeting."

"Oh, yes. Thank you, Coran, I'll look at them later."

"Very well, Princess." He bowed. "Pleasant dreams."

"Yes, you too." She waited until she heard the distinct sound of her outer door opening and closing then, giggling, she leaned over the bed and stared down at the naked man lying on his stomach on the floor. "I must say, Commander. Your reflexes are truly impressive."

"Shut up." He reared up, quick as a snake, and pinned her to the mattress. "I'll show you impressive."

She laughed and wrapped her arms around him, fully prepared for his assault.


	16. Chapter 16

**_DO NOT READ THIS CHAPTER_**_ if you have already read Chapter 15. _

_This is a sub-chapter, the same as the previous one, only this is the _**_M- rated version _**_with extended scenes. You can read Chapter 15, then _**_skip this chapter and wait for the next posted chapter which will be 17. Content not for people under thirteen who are not comfortable with adult situations and sexual scenes._**

_Thank you everyone for the reviews and for your patience. I am so sorry for making you wait but was momentarily blocked and then when the block dissolved I frantically began to write. I am not at all sure about the result, but I hope you will find it worth the wait.__special thanks to cubbieBlueMako who continues to tweet my posts to the masses._

* * *

Allura entered her palace rooms and immediately walked to over to her small kitchenette. She started to fix herself a cup of tea, then set it aside and pulled out a bottle of wine. Pouring a generous glass, she sighed and ran her hand over her face.

Keith was Arusian. How could she not have known that? Was that why she felt such a connection with him? Was the truth of his heritage what had allowed her to sometimes pick up his thoughts and feelings?

And poor Keith, what a shock it had been for him, for both of them, really, but she recovered fairly quickly when she realized that this new discovery was the answer to their problem. If Keith really was descended from a Knight of Arus, he had the right to court her. She had been about to say that very thing to him, when they were faced with the ship headed to collide with Voltron. Then they were ejected into space and she'd been too concerned for her teammates to comment.

She was sure that Keith would want to talk to her about it once the battle was over, however, he barely said a word on the way back to the castle and once the briefing was over he excused himself citing work in his office. When he didn't show up for dinner, Allura had been hurt and a little angry, but then realized how very upset he must be.

Here she was, thinking only of herself, yet again, and how this new dynamic would allow them to be together, and there was Keith, who had just learned everything he knew about himself and his life was wrong. Nanny had been right; she was acting like a selfish child and deserved to be spanked.

They had just agreed to try things again too, and it had been such a stressful week for both of them already. She couldn't even imagine what he was going through, or how she could comfort him for something like this. Would he even accept her comfort?

"What a mess," she muttered and moved into her bedroom, going straight to her dressing table and setting her glass upon it.

She pulled off her tiara and settled it against the soft, specifically formed velvet in her crown box, then she pressed a button on her Volcom and removed the illusion of clothing, leaving her in tiny pink panties and a matching bra. She set the device on its charger, then picked up her brush and started to remove any tangles from her long hair.

"We've defiantly got to brush up on your surveillance skills, Princess."

She spun around, startled with her hand to her heart, and stared at Keith who was calmly lounging on her bed, his back against the headboard, an almost empty glass of wine in his hand. "Where...where did you come from?"

His face darkened a little. "Jury's still out on that one." He set his glass down, rose and walked over to her.

"Oh, shoot...I...I'm sorry, Keith. I didn't mean that." How could she have said that to him after all that had happened today! She was such an idiot. Laying her head on his chest she sighed as his arms enveloped her. "I didn't see you there. I'm sorry."

"That's okay, you looked pretty preoccupied." Keith lifted her chin and touched his lips to hers in a gentle, unobtrusive kiss. "Rough day?"

She smirked. "For both of us." She rubbed his chest with her hand. "How are you doing?"

Keith took a deep breath, then released it. "Well, I've had three whiskies and two glasses of wine, so I am well on my way to being completely smashed, but on the plus side I have a beautiful, half naked woman in my arms, so things are looking up."

Allura didn't find his reply amusing in the least. Keith rarely drank, and even when he did it was maybe a beer or two with the guys, certainly not to excess. This thing was really affecting him. "Oh, Keith."

"Stop that." He stepped away from her suddenly and moved back to the bed to finish off the wine he left on the bedside table. "I don't want to be pitied right now, Allura."

She moved up behind him, wrapped her arms around him and rested her cheek against his back. "Then tell me what you do want and I'll give you that."

He stared down at his empty glass, broodingly. "I want to make love to you."

Her heart skipped a beat. "O...Okay."

"But we can't do that, so...I'll settle for holding you awhile."

"Keith, we can. If you really want..."

He turned in her arms, caught her chin again. "Not yet."

"B...but why? Keith, you're Arusian! We can be together now and..."

"It isn't about that. Right now I'm confused and...and angry. I want to make love to you, but it's for the wrong reasons." He caressed her cheek gently. "I can wait until it's for the right reason." He sighed heavily and leaned his forehead head against hers. "I shouldn't have come here."

"Why?" she demanded and caught his face between her hands. "Why shouldn't you? Isn't this what it is to be in a relationship? To be able to offer comfort to each other."

Keith's hands caressed her hips. "I want more than comfort, Allura, and I've had a lot to drink." He stepped back with another sigh. "I shouldn't have come here. Not like this, in this state. I'm sorry."

Allura thought about what Nanny had said, about how shameful she had acted by allowing Keith to touch her without revealing her vow. Then she considered the purpose of that vow, and what Nanny had said about her being able to change the rules.

Making her decision, she pulled Keith back to her and kissed him.

Keith immediately responded and allowed himself to be swept away by her touch, her scent. He wanted to forget, just for a little while, the images of the holograms and the doubts and fear and anger that he had been experiencing since they returned from that damn ship.

"Allura!" He pulled back, when he felt his thin control start to slip. "I...I need to go."

"You need to stay."

"I can't..." He closed his eyes tightly and pulled away from her a second time. "I don't know if I can control myself."

She knew how much it killed him to say such a thing, but instead of giving into him, she put her fingers over his Volcom and pressed the button to dissolve his uniform, leaving him in his black tank and shorts. "I want this Keith. I want this with you."

"But...I'm drunk."

"You're not that drunk or you wouldn't be protesting so much." She gently shoved him on to the bed and crawled over him, "And I've heard from both Lance and Hunk that you can drink both of them under the table, so if all you had was a bit of whiskey and wine you're nowhere near drunk yet."

"That was before, Allura, when we were all a lot younger." Keith tried to crawl backwards, intending to get off on the other side, but as he neared the middle of the bed Allura straddled him. He sat up, trying to stop her and almost fainted at the intimate position it put them in. "What about your vow? Allura, we can't..."

"I am the Princess of Arus, soon to be Queen." She pulled his tank top off to reveal his sculpted, bare chest. "I make the rules and I can break the rules."

His eyes widened. She was serious! "You'll lose your crown!"

She shoved him onto his back, nipped at his chin, then licked her way down his throat, the way he had done to her several times before. "The hell I will."

Keith watched as she pulled off her bra and tossed it over her head before pressing those wonderful breasts against his flesh. He moaned. "Not like this. It shouldn't be like this."

She lifted up on her elbows and grinned down at him. Now that she had made up her mind, Almost all of her anxiety about having sex fled her mind. "How did you want it to happen?"

"On our wedding night! With...flowers and...and candles and music!"

Her expression softened. "Why Keith, is that a proposal?" She giggled at his momentarily horrified expression. "Is that a no then?"

"I...I...Damn it, Allura, you're not letting me do this right."

"I'm trying to but you're putting up an awful fight." She captured his lips, eliciting another delightful moan from him. "I have candles and I can put on some music." She pressed fully against him with her body. "And we can pretend it is our wedding night."

"I...I..." He didn't know what else he could, say. He searched for the proper way to explain things to her and then, suddenly, she rocked against him and al thoughts were lasted from his mind. "Allura," he groaned and felt himself harden instantly.

She smiled, suddenly shy as she pulled back the covers and slid between the sheets. "Make love to me me, Keith. I...I want this. I want you."

He climbed between the sheets with her because he was helpless to do anything else. "You aren't ready for this, Allura."

She leaned in, wrapped her arms around his neck. "Then make me ready, Keith."

He slid in beside her, touched her, kissed her and caressed her; her body reacted as if it was born to respond to him and only him. "Are you sure?" He whispered as he suckled her neck. "Are you absolutely sure, Allura?"

Her response was immediate and breathy as his fingers reached the juncture of her thighs. "K...Keith. P...Please?"

He lowered his mouth to hers again, kissed her long and thoroughly, then gently removed her panties and caressed her center. He groaned, she was so hot, so wet and his constricted member throbbed in response. Carefully, he slid a finger inside of her, felt her tighten around him and dreamed of how amazing it would feel to be fully inside of her.

He licked her nipples and then sucked on the tiny pink buds so they were fully at attention, so that she was gasping and writing beneath him. He slid a second finger inside her and fondled her, until she was mewing desperately and pushing against his hand with an urgency that increased his own desire. He added a third finger, then found that special little place every woman had and she cried out when he rubbed his thumb against it.

"Oh! Oh! K...Keith! Is...is that y...you?"

"It's just my fingers, Allura," he whispered thrilled with her response.

"It...feels so...mmmmm... good, but...different than...ooohhh... before."

"It's about to feel a lot better." He pulled his hand away, heard her whimper of disappointment and then her startled grunt when he slid down her body.

"What are you..." Her eyes grew wider as she felt Keith's mouth at her...by her...he was... Great galaxies! He hadn't done that before. "Keith?" she whimpered, suffering from confusion, unspeakable shyness and unparalleled need.

"It's okay," he assured. "You'll like this. It's to get you ready."

Allura bit so hard on her lower lip she could taste blood and her body arched as his tongue tasted her most intimate area. Oh my. Oh my! That was...that's..._OH MY_! She felt her orgasm build shockingly fast but it was far more intense than anything she had felt previously and she was having trouble breathing, trouble thinking, trouble with everything!

"I...I...what's happenin..."

The scream she released would have wakened the entire castle, if Keith had not anticipated it, shot up and placed his free hand over her mouth, replacing his mouth with his hand at her center as she rocked and shivered and rode through her release.

He felt her tighten around his fingers, watched her convulse and shiver in the throes of ecstasy, and before she was completely through it, he pulled down his shorts and quickly thrust himself inside of her. She tensed only for a moment, in either surprise or pain, he wasn't sure, but she was lubricated enough that he hoped he hadn't hurt her too badly. It was better to go fast and unexpectedly than inch it a bit at a time and give her time to tense, which would make it hurt more.

It took all his willpower not to keep moving, but he remained still and let her adjust to him. Her eyes were closed, she was still panting and deliberately wetting her lips as if dying of thirst.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly leaned down to cradle her face between his hands. "Allura? Open your eyes baby, and look at me."

Allura was trapped in a cocoon of bliss. Keith was inside of her, their bodies joined and it felt...incredible! There was something more, such intense emotions and she didn't know if they were hers or his and a tear slipped from her eye at the sheer joy of it all.

"Allura?"

Reluctantly she opened her eyes and stared up at his concerned expression. "Oh, Keith."

"Are you okay?"

"Oh...yes. Yes, I..." There were no words to describe how she was feeling. "Yes."

He smiled at her, kissed her, then slowly started to move. He watched her eyes widen and then shudder closed, open and close with each of his movements and was dazzled by her euphoric expression. When she started to lift her hips to his thrusts, and then wrapped her legs around him as her hands griped his forearms Keith was lost to anything but the sensation of their merging bodies.

Trying to prolong their joining, their pleasure, Keith bit hard on the inside of his cheek and tried to think about something boring each time he was close, but he could only keep that up for so long. Finally he couldn't resist any longer and his movements became faster, more frantic. Allura matched him, her long, beautiful legs squeezing him, pressing him deeper into her with each thrust.

They were both moaning and panting, until finally he heard her cry out in surprise as a second orgasm rocked her. He felt her viciously tighten around him, managed to pull out and bit his lip as he released his seed onto her stomach.

"C...Christ," he murmured when he came back to himself, and adjusted himself to fall to her side rather than on top of her. "S...sorry."

Allura let her legs fall straight as she stared up at the ceiling and gasped. She knew why Keith had pulled out at the last minute and cursed herself for not being better prepared. But she was pleased by his respect for her. "Am I dead?" she whispered. "I can't feel anything. I must be dead."

Keith chuckled wearily, rolled onto his back. "It'll come back in a minute."

She gasped as pins and needles shot through her legs and even her ass. "Owww! What _is_ that?"

"Told you."

She weakly slapped at his chest. "You made a mess."

"I did. Sorry." He started to rise.

"Where are you going?"

"To get you a cloth."

She sighed, he really was so thoughtful. Her eyes followed his beautiful naked form as he stepped into her bathroom. He was back a moment later with a warm cloth, and she could tell from the dampness of his bangs that he had also rinsed or washed his face.

She accepted the cloth, cleaned herself up, then curled into him as he slid back in beside her. She sighed. "Are you as happy as I am?"

He nodded. He still would have preferred to wait, she had made a vow after all, but he couldn't deny that he felt pretty damn amazing at that moment.

"Will you stay the night?" she asked softly.

Keith was quiet for a long moment, then nodded again. "Yeah." He didn't want to leave her, not now. He turned on his side so he could look down at her. "Are you okay?"

"Better than okay." She stretched luxuriously, from her fingers all the way to her curled toes. "How long before we can do that again?"

Keith groaned and chuckled. "I've created a sex fiend."

She giggled and crawled over him, laying her body flush against his and delighted at how his eyes darkened with renewed desire. "I'm not sure what that means, but if it means you've made me want you more than absolutely you have."

"In that case, just give me a few minutes."

She pressed her lips to his, sighing when he deepened the kiss and curled his arms around her.

"Princess?"

Coran's voice sounded outside her door as the chime dinged.

"Crap!" Keith hissed as Allura scrambled off him as he quickly rolled sideways and landed on the floor on the other side of the bed, with barely a sound, his cat like reflexes allowing him to catch himself on his hands and toes to prevent any noise.

Allura dropped her head on the pillow and adjusted the sheets up to her neck. "Yes, Coran?" She spotted Keith's shirt at the end of the bed, bounced up, nabbed it and pulled it under the covers with her just as her door slid open.

The advisor smiled at her. "Forgive me, Princess. I did not realize you had already retired." He lifted a data pad. "These are the reports you requested, I thought you would like to review them before tomorrow's meeting."

"Oh, yes. Thank you, Coran, I'll look at them later."

"Very well, Princess." He bowed. "Pleasant dreams."

"Yes, you too." She waited until she heard the distinct sound of her outer door opening and closing then, giggling, she leaned over the bed and stared down at the naked man lying on his stomach on the floor. "I must say, Commander. Your reflexes are truly impressive."

"Shut up." He reared up, quick as a snake, and pinned her to the mattress. "I'll show you Impressive."

She laughed and wrapped her arms around him, fully prepared for his assault.


	17. Chapter 17

_Hey everyone, so, so sorry for the delay in updating. My computer died and unfortunately I had been writing so much and so quickly I forgot to back my recent stories on to a disk so I lost everything I had written the few weeks. I had to go buy a brand new computer and set it up, and I am in the process of rewriting what I lost as best I can. Again, very sorry for the wait. I'll try and get an update for A Captured Heart as soon as I can._

* * *

Keith woke very early the next morning, before either suns had risen, and quickly dressed in his tank and shorts then added his uniform through his Volcom. He kissed Allura gently and left her sleeping as he exited her rooms. He checked the hall before stepping out, then quickly made his way to his rooms. He showered, changed into jeans and a T-shirt then set his Volcom in the charger, as he had not charged it last night.

He headed into his office, which he could access from his main quarters, and settled down at his computer. Going into his personal files, he clicked on one titled KKF and opened up the photos and history he had of his family, what little he had managed to gather. It was all information he had read a hundred times, and none of it looked suspicious or contrived, of course he had just accepted his aunt and uncle's word about his family. He'd never thought to investigate his own parents, and his aunt and uncle were a foster family, they were not related by blood. He knew they didn't have any further information.

Next he went to the Arus archives and typed in the name Kenneth Kogane. He received zero results. He next put his name in, which revealed multiple files but all of them were related to Voltron. He didn't know his grandfather or his great grandfather's name.

He knew there were more files in the classified archives, but there were so many layers of security on them that he'd be weeks possibly months getting through. Maybe he'd ask Pidge to discretely search for names of past Knights of Arus. If there was any information to be found, Pidge would find it.

He checked his messages and started to respond to them, then watched the incoming transmission alert pop up in the corner of the screen. He smiled when he saw the name of the sender and pressed the open tab.

"Hey handsome! I was just gonna leave a message. What are you doing up so early?"

"Work, what else?"

Velene grinned and leaned back in her chair. "So, miss me yet?"

"No way."

"Not even a bit?"

"Nope."

"Teeny tiny bit?"

"Uh uh."

Velene caressed her chin thoughtfully. "Something's wrong. You're too cheerful."

"I'm not cheerful."

"You're smiling."

"Okay, so maybe I miss you a little."

Velene's eyes narrowed and she leaned closer to her screen. "You're smiling and you're being nice." Her eyes widened. "You got laid!"

Keith flushed and hated himself for it. "I'm disconnecting now."

"No! No! Don't you dare, I will fly back there and hang you by your balls from the flag pole!"

Keith smirked. "Try it."

"Allura?"

"Allura would never get me up the flagpole. I'm too heavy..."

"Sweetie!" Her expression softened. "You told her, didn't you?"

"If you only called to harass me then I'm disconnecting. I do have work to do."

"Keith! You're killing me, come on. Just tell me if you kids are together?"

"Kids?"

"Tell me!"

"We're...exploring the possibility," he admitted and winced when she squealed and started singing some song about true love, very off key. "Okay, I'm done."

"I'm sorry!" Velene laughed. "I'll be good. Seriously."

He sat back again and sighed. "You're such a pain in the ass." He paused as an idea formed in his mind. "Actually, Ve, do you know anyone who might have access to relocation or resident request records from about thirty, forty years ago?"

"Uh...maybe, but why?"

Keith explained about the Arusian ship, watched her expression grow in shock and then in sympathy.

"Oh Keith. I can't even imagine what you must be going through?"

"I'm actually okay," he admitted and realized he was. Being with Allura had actually alleviated most of his fears and confusion. "But I still need to know the truth."

Velene nodded. "I have a contact at the central library archive, I'll see what I can find. Do you just want me to search for anyone named Kogane the last thirty years?"

"Maybe go back fifty, just in case. I don't know if my parents fled to Earth from Arus or if they were born there from their parents. My father never mentioned any grandparents, so I assumed they had died long ago, but better check further back just in case."

"No problem. I'll send you the information as soon as I can get it."

"Thanks, Ve." Keith glanced at the clock on his wall. "And I really do have to go this time. I'll talk to you soon, stay safe."

"You too, lover." She blew him a kiss and signed off.

Keith rose and moved to his window to look out over the gardens below, which was completely in bloom now. Inspired, he headed back to his room, retrieved his Volcom, changed into his uniform and headed outside.

* * *

Allura entered her office humming and noticed a vase of pink and white roses on her desk, along with a folded note. Smiling, she walked over, smelled the flowers and then opened the note.

'_Beautiful blooms for a beautiful lady.'_

She didn't have to guess who they were from. She snipped one of the roses and arranged it in her hair, then settled at her desk and started her work. Skimming over the report Coran had left for her last night, she made a few notes to ask him about later then checked her schedule. As usual it was completely booked, and there was another Peoples Forum today, she's had to reschedule them for the last several months because it seemed every time she tried to hold one, there was an emergency and she had to fly off in the Blue Lion again.

She felt guilty for passing so much off to the council and her assistants. These were her people and they expected to be able to deal with her, she just never had the time. It was still doing them a service flying Blue Lion, she was helping protect them, but there was more to being a ruler then that, and that was why she had not yet allowed herself to be crowned Queen.

Her door chimed and she bid the person come in. A young maid entered with her morning snack, she would have a proper breakfast in the hall with the others later.

"Good morning, my lady. Oh what lovely flowers!"

Allura smiled and gazed at the roses as the maid set a small plate of fruit and cup of tea on the corner of Allura's desk. "Aren't they?" She stood, pulled out a pink rose and handed it to the girl. "Flowers should be shared, don't you think?"

"Oh, thank you, my lady." The maid flushed in delight and inhaled the fragrant scent of the rose. She paused and looked closely at her Princess. "You are looking very well today. Did you have a good sleep?"

"Yes, probably the best sleep I've had in awhile."

"It shows, your skin is glowing with health."

Allura smiled again.

"Would you like anything else, my lady?"

"No, thank you Georgina."

"Very good, my lady."

The maid stepped out and Allura picked up her tea and walked over to stare out her window. She had slept incredibly well, though whether that was from exhaustion or just having Keith lying next to her, she couldn't say. Either way, she had never in her life felt this happy. She kept pinching herself to see if it was real.

Still, as happy as she was about her and Keith, she was still confused about what she should do about her people. She had tried to speak with her father about the issue, but he had not really given her a definitive solution. In the end, she knew she had to be the one to make the choice, but how could she?

She had worked so hard to earn the right to pilot Blue Lion. How could she just give it up? But she was a Princess first, her first duty had to be to her people. Sipping her tea, she tried to figure out a way to do both, but how? Thanks to Lotor and Maahox she was always being called away to fight. Her people needed her to be here, but they also needed Voltron and she was part of Voltron.

"Damn it." She stacked back to her desk and set her cup down, she was giving herself a headache and when her chime sounded she barked for them to enter.

"Someone is grumpy this morning."

She turned, saw the man she loved and suddenly flew into his arms.

"Hey!" Keith soothed. "What's this?"

"Oh, Keith. I don't know what to do!"

Keith felt his heart twist in his chest. Was she regretting last night? Had he made a mistake by giving in and making love to her? "What...about what?"

She pulled away just as abruptly, ashamed for throwing herself at him. What was wrong with her? She was never this needy and indecisive. Crossing her arms over her chest she turned and leaned on her desk. "Do you think I should give up Blue Lion?"

Keith blinked. "Ah...okay...back up. Why are you thinking about that?"

"My people need me, Keith! They need me and I never have time for them and most of the things I am supposed to be doing Coran has to do, but he is getting older and I shouldn't still be relying on him so much, after all, I'm not a child and I know what I have to do, but every time I try to do what I should do we have to fight Lotor or Wade or get called off planet and I just..."

Keith moved to her and pulled her into is arms again. "Breathe, Allura."

The door chimed then opened as one of the Chamberlain Harlse stepped in without waiting for Allura's command.

"Princess we really must..." The short, balding man halted in shock at seeing the Princess in the arms of the Voltron Commander. "I...Commander Kogane! What is going on..."

"Get out, Harlse."

"Now see here..."

Keith turned enough to stare at the man coldly. "Out. Now."

The man backed up quickly, knowing that the Commander's temper was not something to be trifled with.

Allura allowed herself a small smile, even as Keith's arms pulled firmly around her again. "Aren't you worried he'll cause us trouble?" she mumbled.

"No." Keith caught her chin and lifted her eyes to his. "I'm worried about you. Allura, you can't do everything yourself. You can't be everything to every person."

"I have to be! It's expected and..."

"It's not possible." He kissed the top of her head then guided her over to her seating area and settled her on the sofa. He returned with her tea and settled next to her. "Drink your tea."

"I don't want it."

"Drink it. It will settle you."

She accepted the cup and took a few sips. "I'm sorry, Keith. I didn't mean to burden you with this. I need to make a choice, I have to do this myself, but it's...I just..."

Keith took her free hand in both of hers. "You're absolutely right, the choice is yours to make, but there's no shame in venting a little."

"I don't mean to complain..."

"You're not. Talking things out with someone else usually helps you focus on what the real issue is." He smiled and squeezed her hand. "You can talk to Coran if you don't want to talk to me, but you should talk to someone. It isn't good to keep it all to yourself."

She stared into his eyes adoringly. "It isn't that I don't want to talk to you, Keith. I just...I can't depend on you..."

"Now wait just a minute. What do you mean you can't depend on me?"

"I...I didn't mean...I only meant..."

"Allura, first of all, you are a member of Voltron, my teammate and my friend, so of course you can depend on me, just as I depend on you along with Lance, Pidge and the rest of the team."

"I...I know, but..."

"Secondly, you are my Princess and someone I have always admired and respected. You know that I will always protect you and keep you safe, even though I know you are perfectly capable, you still can depend on me to do that."

His words warmed the very cockles of her heart. "Keith, I know you will, I only..."

"Last, but certainly not least..." He cupped her cheek. "You are the woman I love, through Voltron I already trust you with my life , but now I trust you with my heart. I am depending on you not to break it, not to hurt me."

Allura melted and her eyes misted.

"But you still need to depend on me to do the same. We have to depend on each other, Allura. It doesn't mean one of us is weak and the other strong, it just means we're aware of our own vulnerabilities."

"Oh, Keith. Thank you for that, truly, and I completely agree, only...this...this is something I have to do by myself."

"You are doing it by yourself, Allura. I'm not going to influence you one way or the other, you have to make the decision, but I can still listen." He caressed her cheek. "Even if you're just talking out loud to someone it helps and...well...Isn't...isn't that what being in relationship is about? Talking to each other, helping each other and depending on each other?"

Allura didn't think it was possible to fall further in love with Keith, but at that moment, she fell so hard she could feel the impact jar her body. They were in a relationship, he was freely admitting it, and despite her distress over the decision she faced, the joy inside her grew to fill every fibre of her body

"Thank you," she whispered leaning forward to kiss him, then sighing again. She set her cup down. "I love flying Blue Lion, he...he's become part of me now and I can't imagine not flying him. I know that when I am up there with you and the team that I'm protecting my people."

"That's a good thing, right?"

She nodded. "It is, yes, but I also have a duty to be here for my people. I have no idea what is really going on with them or if they think I am doing a good job and these are things I must know." She rubbed her forehead as her headache grew worse. "There is never any time for me to be the ruler they deserve, not while I am flying Blue Lion, but I can't give that up because Arus must be protected."

"But you are right, your people also deserve the right to see and speak to you. You are their Princess, you should be their Queen, but whatever they think of your availability, never doubt their love for you. They adore you, Allura. Don't beat yourself up over not being able to be everything to them."

"I am the ruler of Arus, I am everything to them." She shook her head. "I...I can't help but worry that sometimes...sometimes, I'm making the wrong decisions."

Keith's heart went out to her, she certainly wasn't in an easy situation, but he believed in her enough to know she would make the right conclusion herself. "Maahox and Lotor are a threat, Allura, and we do need Voltron to keep them at bay."

"I know that."

"Do you want to give up Blue Lion?"

"No!"

"Do you want to give up your crown?"

"Of course not!"

Keith already knew the answers to both of these questions but he asked them aloud so she could hear her own answers. "But you have to make a choice."

She slumped forward and put her face into his chest. "I know!"

He almost smiled at her frustration, even as he brushed his hand over her hair. "Larmina is getting pretty good in Blue Lion."

"Yes, she is."

"And she is learning more about state affairs, right?"

Allura mumbled in acknowledgement.

"So let her help you."

She lifted her head and looked at him. "Help me, how?"

"Just let her help you, Allura. She's a good kid and really smart. She can learn from you, whether it's with Blue Lion or with ruling the people. Isn't that what she is here for, anyway? To learn?"

"Yes, of course she is, but..." Allura sighed again. "She has no interest in politics, Keith."

"I don't blame her."

"Keith!"

He grinned. "But she loves you, she admires you, so use that to your advantage. Who knows, maybe by seeing how she reacts in political situations you'll get a better feel for what you want to do."

"You think I should let her fly Blue Lion on her own?"

"I never said that Allura."

"So...you think I should make her Princess?"

He sighed. "You're over thinking this. I told you, I can't make the decision for you. All I am saying is spend some more time Larmina, see things through her eyes for awhile and maybe it will give you a better perspective on what you need to do for yourself."

"Do you really think so?"

"I do." He cupped her cheek. "And don't keep things so bottled up. Talk to me, or to someone at least. I know this is a hard choice, but you are the only one who can make it, Allura. You are the only one strong enough to make it." He leaned in, kissed her. "I am here no matter what your choice is. We will all support you whether you are our teammate or our Queen, but you have to do what is best for you."

She stared into his eyes. "Keith, one other thing. If I become Queen, they'll immediately start hounding me to get married or at least have a consort."

"Hey, what happened to the Princess who was going to change all the rules?" He smiled when she blushed. "I'm going to speak to Coran today, we'll figure it out."

Her eyes widened. "You...what are you going to say?"

"I'm going to tell him about what we learned from that Arusian ship, and then I'm going to ask for permission to court you."

Her heart flipped over in her chest. "R...really?" she squeaked.

"Allura, we have to tell him about us, especially after last night."

She nodded and chewed her lip, nervously. "Yes, you're right, of course. It...I just didn't think you'd want to...to tell him so soon."

"We both had a hard choice to make and we made it, now we have to face the consequences."

"Keith, are you only going to speak to him because we made love?" She asked, her stomach sinking suddenly. "I mean, are you only doing this out of duty?"

He regarded her quietly for a long moment. "Is that what you think?"

"I...I'm not sure. I mean, you were so against it before and now suddenly..."

"Allura, I don't want to hide how we feel anymore. I mean, I'm not going to run out and sky write it, but this is real, isn't it?" He pulled her hands up to his lips.

"Yes. It's real."

"Then we need to treat it that way. I...I honestly don't know what I'll say to Coran yet or how he will react, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it."  
"Don't you want me to go with you, to talk to him?"

"No. I need to do this alone."

She nodded in understanding. "Okay."

"That way, if he knocks me unconscious, smuggles me off planet and replaces me with an android likeness, you won't be any the wiser."

She smacked at his arm. "Don't say that!"

"Either way, we'll figure that out later. All you have to worry about now is where your heart truly lies, with Voltron, or with your people. Do you want...do you need to be a pilot or a Queen?"

"You make it sound so simple."

"It isn't simple at all, Allura, and that's why you have to consider everything. This isn't something that can be decided on overnight. You have to know what is in your heart, truly in your heart, and use that to make your choice."

She leaned into him again, sighed. "You're right. I know you're right, and it does feel better to talk it out. I...I think I do know what I have to do, what I want to do, I just...I just need a little more time with it."

"There's no rush..."

Her door chimed again and she sighed. She rose and Keith stood with her. "Come in," she called.

"Forgive the intrusion, Princess, Commander," Coran said as he entered. "It's time for the People's Forum."

Allura nodded. "Already?" She smoothed a hand down her uniform. "Okay then."

She turned to Keith and smiled. "Thanks for listening."

"You're welcome." He placed his hands behind his back to avoid touching her again. "Call Larmina."

"Yes! Yes, I'll do that." She walked to Coran. "Shall we?"

He smiled at her and as they left, Keith hear him comment.

"What lovely flowers."

He smirked, then scowled and dropped down onto the sofa again. If Allura gave up Blue Lion, he wouldn't see much of her. Voltron needed her, but so did her people. He wanted her to stay with the team, but he couldn't tell her that. She had to make her own choice and he would respect that.

If she chose to be Queen, what would happen if Coran and the Council denied his request to be her consort? Would they still be able to be together? God, what a mess.

"Commander!"

"Yeah, Pidge?" Keith said into his Volcom.

"We need you in the control center right away. I'm getting some disturbing underground readings."

"I'm on my way."


	18. Chapter 18

_Thanks everyone for your patience, so so sorry for the delays. My Brain hurts, :(_

* * *

"Commander Kogane!"

Keith turned from where he was going through the briefing with his team. Allura was not with them, having given up Blue Lion to Larmina. Chamberlain Harlse stood in the doorway with two Arusian guards beside him.

"What is it?"

"You need you to come with me, now."

"I'm in the middle of a briefing right now, it will have to wait."

The smaller man flushed at having his orders questioned. "It will not wait and if you do not come with me immediately I will have the palace guards escort you."

Lance rose, offended. "What the hell are you playing at, Harlse?"

"Easy, Lance." Keith waived him back, he had an idea what this might be about. "Take a break. We'll finish this when I get back." He stepped out and followed Harlse, who he noticed always walked like he had a broomstick jammed up his butt, down the corridor to the Council chambers.

He was a little surprised to see only two other council members in attendance, neither of them Coran. The members sat at the long table facing him, a single chair was in front of their bench, calling to a scene being more of an interrogation than a discussion.

"Sit down, Commander."

He sat down and waited as Harsle, his embroidered cloaks flapping about him like a kid's toy cape, paced in front of him and tried to appear menacing.

"What were you doing in the Princess', chambers four nights past?"

Keith knew it was pointless to try and lie, but he wouldn't out right concede the truth either. "Don't you mean, the Queen's chambers?" he reminded, knowing that Allura had finally taken her rightful place in that role.

"Why were you there?"

"Visiting."

"So you do not deny that you were in the Princess'...Her Majesty's chambers, unsupervised at such a disrespectful hour?"

"I wasn't unsupervised, I was there with the Queen."

Harlse stood over Keith's chair, anger had turned his face near purple. "Answer the question, Earthling! Did you have relations with the Princess?"

"She's a member of Voltron, or was, so of course we have relations..." The hand hit him, open palm, enough to tilt his head back, but Keith simply straightened and stared at his accuser. "You hit like a girl." The second was close fisted, but still, he'd had harder hits.

"Have you defiled her?"

Keith stared at him.

"Have you defiled Her Majesty, you alien scum?"

"Chamberlain!" Coran stepped into the room. "That is enough!"

"He has impugned the Princess' honor! He has lain hands upon her in filth and deceit!"

"I'm sure he has done none of those, and though his race is alien to us, he cannot possibly be considered scum after all the times he has saved this planet."

"But..."

"He is the leader of the Voltron force and you will show him some respect!"

"He was found exiting the Princess' chambers..."

"She is no longer our Princess but our Queen! You will do well to remember that."

Harlse stumbled back from the force of which Coran spoke.

"He...but he..."

"I am aware of your accusations. All of you leave us, now."

"Coran..."

"Do not have me to ask you a second time Chamberlain."

The agitated man and his companions left, and then Coran dismissed the guards before pulling a chair over to settle facing Keith. "This is quite the situation you two have gotten yourselves into."

"None of this is Allura's fault," Keith stated quietly.

"Oh, I blame you entirely," Coran agreed mildly and crossed his arms and legs. "You Earth men have such a way with the females of your species, such charms, how could she possibly resisted?"

"Coran, I never meant..."

Coran held up his hand. "What you meant is irrelevant, Commander, what is done is what must be dealt with."

Keith remained silent.

"Have you had intercourse with the Queen?"

Silence.

"Commander, I am trying to help you, but I need to know how bad the damage is." He sat forward, placed a hand on Keith's shoulder. "I know you love her son, and she you."

Keith's eyes shot up, surprised.

"I'm hardly an idiot, Commander. I have been watching that girl all of my life, I know what she eats, what she wears, and how she thinks. And I know when she is happy and when she is not." Coran sat back. "The last few months I have seen her happier than I ever thought possible. I knew it was due to you."

"How?" Keith asked. "It could have been someone else. Why do you assume it was me?"

Coran sighed. "Because you hardly let anyone else get near Allura. You and your entire crew have always been incredibly protective of her, for which I am grateful of course."

"It could have been Lance, or...or Hunk, or anyone..."

"No. I saw the way she looked at you the very first time, and how you looked back at her. Perhaps neither of you were aware of it, you were too young to consider the depths of your true feelings then, but it was obvious to an old timer to me. It was just a matter of time, really."

"I love her, Coran," Keith admitted, suddenly. "And she loves me. We...we've tried to deny it, to stay away from each other, but we can't." He gave up his defensive posture and slumped in the chair. "I know we can't be together, so does she, but..." He shrugged. "She wanted to be happy, Coran. If only for a little while, she wanted to feel like someone other than a Princess."

"That's what sparked this endeavor then? You just wanted to give her some time off from her royal duties?"

Keith smirked and shook his head. "No. I...I don't know what really started it, it just started and then...we tried to stop it but..."

"Keith, I have to know. It will go no further than this room, but I am asking you, out of respect for me, the man that has protected that girl all of her life, raised her. Did you take her innocence?"

Keith hung his head in his hands. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I know she might lose her crown but she...and I...I couldn't..."

His throat constricted, surprised to find himself on the verge of tears. Everything they had been through, all the pain and misery, the love and the loss would be for nothing. He had betrayed a man who he greatly admired, betrayed the people of the woman he loved. He was scum.

"I...just...love her."

Coran sat back again. The Commander was a good man, not many men would be so shattered by their own lustful actions, certainly few would be so concerned for the woman at all. "Well, at least we have that on our side."

"So...what now?" Keith lifted his head. "Do I get exiled, beheaded, thrown to a Robeast?"

Coran chuckled. "All of that sounds highly entertaining, but no. We are not savages, Commander." He stroked his chin as he considered Harlse. "Well, most of us aren't anyway. The council will want your immediate dismissal, that will be difficult because the Black Lion chose you and even they cannot go against the ancient powers of Voltron. No, I'm really not sure what will be done."

"What about Allura? Can they really take her crown away?"

"I would never allow that to happen, Commander. The people need Allura, and regardless of any ancient rules of conduct, the council knows that if they force her to step down it would lead to a revolution. No, I believe she is safe in her position."

Keith almost fell over with relief.

"May I assume that your intentions towards her are honorable?"

Keith nodded, rubbed his damp hands on his pants. "I was going to speak with you before, but I just didn't get the chance, what with those seed things and then Lotor attacking us."

Coran nodded. "Yes, it has certainly been a busy week."

"Coran, when Allura and I were on that Arusian ship we learned that...that it had been commanded by my great grandfather. The holograms recognized me as their leader. It had confused me at first, but then Allura figured out that my ancestors are actually Arusian."

Coran's eyebrows lifted. "That is surprising. That must have come to you as quite a shock?"

"Yes. Allura thought that if it could be true, if I was really Arusian and my great Grandfather was truly a Knight of Arus, then I would be able to be considered as her consort. But I don't have any proof except what Allura and I heard. The ship was destroyed in the battle with Lotor and I haven't been able to find any other records beyond those of my parents living on Earth."

"I see. Well, I believe you, Commander, but the council will not so readily agree. We need time to research this properly, time to find a way that the two of you may be together." He sighed and rose. "Unfortunately, there will have to be sacrifices in the mean time. Until we can establish a proper case of support for you and Allura, the Queen cannot be allowed to be with you again."

"W...What?" Keith also rose, felt the blood drain from his body. "But...that isn't right! That isn't fair..."

"What is right or fair is a grey area right now, Commander, I must do what is diplomatic to save this situation from turning into a bid for power by the council." Coran dropped his hand on Keith's shoulder. "It won't be forever, but for the time being, until I say otherwise you will not be permitted to be near to or speak with the Queen."

Keith nodded, realized he really had no options to argue. "Can I tell her?"

"No, better that I do that."

Keith nodded and stepped out, then headed for the elevator instead of back to the briefing room. Allura would be crushed, and angry and hurt and damn it, why hadn't he just listened to his own conscience and left her alone? Why had he gone to her rooms that night? Why had he let himself get carried away like that?

He stepped into the elevator just as Lance spotted him. He ignored his friend's call and let the doors slide shut. Down in the garage, he used his Volcom to generate a helmet, climbed onto his black motorcycle and started it up

The large garage door slid up as and Lance stepped out of the elevator.

A short while later, Lance leaned against a tall tree and watched his friend move to the edge of the cliff to look over the ocean. The moment he'd seen Keith take off he knew something was wrong and had hopped in his car to give chase. Once he caught up with Keith, he had expected the Commander to try and lose him, instead he just kept driving until they got to his usual spot.

Keith had quietly explained the gist of his conversation with the council and the cause for it.

"How long?" Lance asked quietly.

"Months," Keith sighed. "Four, five, maybe."

"How the hell did you manage to keep it a secret that long, man?"

Keith shrugged. "We...we met in my room mostly." His cheeks flamed with a sense of shame. "And before you ask, yes we have had sex."

Lance smirked. "I wasn't gonna ask."

"Why not? Everyone else has."

"Look, Keith." Lance moved to stand beside his Commander. "I spoke a little bit with Allura, before you knocked me on my ass, anyway."

"Sorry about that."

"Yeah, well, I owe you." Lance shrugged. "But I get why you did it. Anyway, she was pretty torn up at the idea of losing you, man. And then it had just been an avoidance issue. Something like this will devastate her, Keith."

"What else can I do, Lance? Coran says it has to be done to prevent a power struggle or the council turning against Allura." He ran a hand through his hair. " They may even call for me to resign as the Black Lion pilot..."

"_That_ is not ever gonna happen. They'll really have a revolt on their hands if they try that shit."

"I don't know what to do. I've been trying to figure out a way for this to work between us for months and...nothing!"

"Well, maybe that's your problem."

Keith looked at him.

"You've been trying to figure things out, instead of letting us help. Come on, man. We've come this far defending the universe and figuring out ways to defeat whatever Lotor throws at us, you sayin' we can't figure something out for a couple of love birds?"

Keith smirked and crossed his arms over his chest. "I didn't want to bother you guys with it."

"No, you want to keep everything to yourself, like always. Well, you're not an orphan anymore, man. You're not alone and you don't have to do everything alone."

"I'm aware of that, Lance."

"Are you? I really don't think you are. Frankly, I'm surprised you even bothered to tell me this much instead of just being an ass to everyone again."

"Look, I said I was sorry..."

"Apologies don't mean squat. Are we a team or not?"

"Yes!"

"And are we your friends or not?"

"I...of...of course you are. You all are."

"Ah, see, you hesitated."

"Lance..."

"It's okay, I get it. But sooner or later you are going to have to admit that you are not alone. You're going to have to knock that gigantic chip off your shoulder and let people in, man."

"I have a chip on my shoulder?" Keith scoffed, incredulously. "You, sir, are the king of Chips!"

Lance grinned. "Sure, but my chip has been proven valid, I am an amazing warrior and pilot, whereas you just use yours to hide behind."

"How'd you like to take a header off this cliff and see if that chip can save you?"

"Don't need it to." Lance clapped his hand on Keith's shoulder. "My friends will save me."

Keith rolled his eyes but felt a smile slide across his lips.


	19. Chapter 19

_Hi Everyone, sorry for the long wait for an update! Have been extremely busy here and trying to get multiple things accomplished. Any way, here is another chapter to tide you over. Thanks for all your support!_

* * *

The council did call for Keith's resignation, but when the rest of the Voltron threatened to walk if Keith was forced to resign, a compromise was reached. The Commander could not speak to The Queen even on matters related to Voltron. He was not allowed near her chambers, or she his, and they were no longer permitted to stay in the same room, even to eat.

Keith would brief Coran regarding any matters on security and Coran would brief the Queen. Instead of Keith, Lance now attended Allura on any missions off planet as her body guard, while Keith would continue to plan and run all security details for any events held on Arus that the Queen attended, as long as he was not be in direct contact with her.

Allura reluctantly agreed to all of this because Coran convinced her that it would not be forever, just until he could find positive proof of Keith's linage of Arus. Once he did that the Council could no longer contest anything. He dissuaded her from abolishing the council all together in a fit of anger, and worked to have her see things from a diplomatic viewpoint.

This went on for several weeks, and the other members of Voltron could see the toll it was having on their two friends. Keith had taken to eating in his room, so Allura could at least still mingle with the others in the dining hall, and he was spending long hours on his motorcycle, away from the castle.

Allura would relay messages via her Volcom or computer rather than speak to anyone directly as she had before, and kept busy with projects to assist her people or improve their way of life. In the evenings she stayed in her office, until it was time to retire, which was often not until very, very late. She constantly had a guard with her, assigned by the Council, and her privacy was almost non-existent now.

When her office door chimed she called for the person to come in, without looking away from her computer terminal.

"Your Majesty."

Her eyes flew upward at saw Lance, bowing low from the waist, a smirk on his face. "Lieutenant," she responded politely, pulling her lips into a firm like to keep from smiling, as her personal guard dog was watching her every move. "How can I help you?"

"I have a message for you from Pidge. He asks that you visit him in the control room when you have a moment, as he would like to discuss modifications for your personal shuttle."

"I'm sure whatever he wants to do will be fine."

"These modifications are in regards to an emergency ejection, my Queen, which requires you to be properly fitted for a harness."

She blinked, it was odd to hear Lance speak so formally and it was killing her _not_ to laugh. "Okay. Tell him I'll be by just before lunch then."

"I will tell him," Lance nodded then waited. "I also have a personal matter I would like to discuss, if you have time."

Allura's heart sped up and she turned her attention to the guard. "Leave us."

"I regret that I am not permitted to leave the Queen alone with a man, your Highness."

"That rule only applies to Commander Kogane, Radji, and the Council are not the rulers of Arus, I am. Obey your Queen at once!"

The man bowed, turned and stepped outside. The moment he was gone, Allura was out of her chair and standing beside Lance. The members of the Voltron Force had been discretely slipping her such messages from Keith and messages from her to him as the Council could monitor their communications.

"Is everything okay? Is it Keith? Is he..."

Lance grinned and pulled her in for a hard hug. "This is from the Commander," he whispered softly, felt her tremble as she slid her arms around him. "Sorry I have to be a stand in, but it's the best we can do for now."

"Thank you," she sighed and leaned her head against his chest; he really was a wonderful friend. "How is he doing?"

"He's a wreck, but hiding it well." He pulled back to look down at her. "How are you holding up?"

"The same. Trying to keep busy until Coran finds the proof he needs about Keith's heritage."

Lance nodded, squeezed her once more then stepped back. "It will work out, Allura. You guys are meant to be together."

She smiled at him. "Thank you, Lance."

He grinned. "So, any return message?" He held up his hand when her eyes flickered with devilment. "Don't even think it. I like Keith, but I am not kissing him, no matter who it's from."

She laughed then moved back to her desk and selected a red rose from the bouquet on her desk; her assistant had fresh flowers brought in every day.

Walking back to Lance she handed him the rose. "Can you give him this?"

Lance scowled. "That's almost as bad as kissing him, but..." He sighed dramatically. "Fine. The things I do for love."

She smiled again, then reached up and kissed his cheek. "That's for you."

"As long as I don't have to share." He placed the rose against his Volcom and turned it into a hologram of a pen. "Don't forget about Pidge."

"I won't." She watched him leave, saw him nod to the guard who was standing just outside the door, then with a heavy sigh she returned to her work.

* * *

"Allura?"

Allura turned to the smallest member of their team. She had met him in the control room as requested to look over some modifications he had done. The guard assigned by the Council had followed and was posted at the door, as always.

"Yes, Pidge?"

"Is this too tight?"

She looked down at the straps that had criss crossed her from a modified shuttle pilot seat that the genius had brought in to work with. "No, they're actually quite comfortable."

Pidge nodded, crouched by the chair and made some notes. "Okay, so remember if you have to eject you'll press this blue button."

She nodded as he released the straps. "It seems very secure, thank you, Pidge."

Pidge straightened and gave her a hand up out of the chair. "Hey, it's what I do."

"And you do it very well."

"I know." He grinned at her then started looking around the computer console. "I just need to make a few adjustments...Blast. Where did I leave my multi-tool? Oh, right, it's in my office."

"I'll get it," Allura offered as Pidge continued to fiddle with the seat.

"Oh, would you? It should be on my desk, thanks!"

"Sure."

She walked over to the adjoining alcove that Pidge and Hunk shared as an office, and put her hand to the panel. She stepped inside, spotted the device he was looking for on his desk and picked up. She started back for the door, just as the other entrance opened and Keith stepped in. He saw her, scowled and turned to exit again, but found the door locked.

"Hunk!" He banged on the door. "This isn't funny!"

Allura's heart contracted at the sight of him and she was suddenly so very grateful for their friend's ingenuity.

Keith, however, did not seem pleased as he stalked to the other side, found Pidge's door was also locked and swore.

"I guess they want us to talk," she murmured.

"We're not supposed to talk."

"Keith..."

"I gave my word to Coran, Allura. I can't be here with you."

"He would understand." She dropped the tool back on the desk and ran to him, relieved when he opened his arms to her and crushed her against his chest. "I miss you! I miss you so much!"

"Me too." He ran his fingers through her hair. "We knew this might happen. We knew..." He broke off because his heart was bleeding for them.

"Coran is trying to reason with them," she sniffed. "He's been pouring over old files and parchments to see if there is a way."

"Yeah, but I don't think they'll ever see me as pure, brave and noble now."

She smirked up at him. "Certainly not pure."

He chuckled and pulled her close again. "Definitely not."

"I...I heard that Harlse hit you." She cradled his cheek. "I am sorry, Keith."

"Oh, please. I've had mosquito bites that hurt more."

She smiled then her lower lip wobbled and she clung to him. "This isn't fair. I should be able to just abolish this nonsense, but Coran said that could cause a Kou or something and..."

"Ssshhh." He cradled her face between his hands. "Don't talk." He bent his head and kissed her, gently at first, and then with more passion.

They broke apart as there was a thumping on the door from Pidge's side and they heard the genius's voice from the other side.

"I don't know what to tell you, it was working fine a minute ago. Just let me open this panel and see what I can do."

"My guard," Allura hissed, angrily. "He follows me everywhere and stands outside my bedroom at night. It's so creepy."

"I'm sorry."

"It isn't your fault!"

"Listen, I...I'm leaving..."

"What? No!"

He put a hand over her mouth and glanced towards the door. "Not for good!" he assured. "Velene thinks she may have found some proof of my grandfather's linage, so I'm headed to Earth to find out what it is."

"Oh, Keith. Do you think it will be something we can use?"

"I don't know yet, but I figure even if it isn't, I can do my own investigation from there."

"I don't want you to go!"

"I know, but right now we can't be together so it's better to go now." He kissed her again as he heard the guard threatening to blast open the door if Pidge didn't hurry up. "Lance will know how to contact me, since I won't have my Volcom with me. He'll also have Velene's contact information, if you need to get a message to me, okay?"

"Oh, Keith..."

I'll come back as soon as I have something." Another kiss, long, lingering, and then he was backing away to the other side of the room. "I love you. Remember, you are the Queen, don't let them bully you, okay?"

"I won't." She watched him leave by the other door and picked up the muli-tool just as the door on Pidge's side open. "It wasn't where you said it was at all, Pidge. I had the devil's time...oh?" She looked at her guard. "Is there a problem?"

"No, my Queen. Simply ensuring your safety."

Allura had to smother the urge to kick him in the head as she handed the tool to Pidge. "I'm in my castle, how much safer could I be?"

* * *

Allura lay in her bed, staring up at the ceiling and missing Keith. He had been gone for almost two months and she had heard nothing from him aside from weekly updates from Lance that he was okay and still on Earth. The Council had relaxed slightly with the Commander off planet, speaking often of the possibility that he might not return, and dropping subtle hints of suitable suitors that she should consider meeting with. She had her rooms to herself again, instead if sharing them with that annoying guard.

She had thought to contact Velene a thousand times, but she knew the council would be monitoring her calls and so she had decided not to and the Voltron Force had been busy with a good relations tour of the system, to mend the bad reputation they had gotten because of Wade, and even without Black Lion they were well received.

Besides, she was sure that Keith would find something to prove himself, she trusted him to do this, but she missed him so very much, and with her friends away as well the loneliness became even worse. Coran had apologized multiple times at being unable to find anything to help her and Keith, but she knew he had done his best.

When her personal com terminal beeped she glanced at it, then rose and picked up the small oval object and answered. Velene's smiling face appeared and Allura's heart rose into her throat. Was it Keith? Had something happened?

"Greetings, your Majesty, I apologize for calling at such a late hour, but I was wondering if I might take you up on our offer for a second visit?"

Allura blinked in surprise. "Yes, of course, Velene. You're always welcome here." She paused, considered her words carefully. "Can we expect any additional guests, so that I may be sure the proper number of rooms is prepared?"

"Yes, two others will be traveling with me, your Highness, I hope that is all right?"

Was one of them Keith, Allura wondered. "That will be fine. How have you been, Velene?"

"Extremely busy, as always, but I find that the past catches up with you sooner rather than later and so thought I'd come and see you."

Did that mean they had found proof of Keith's lineage? Oh, she hated not being able to speak plainly. "I am glad to hear that. We will all be delighted to have you visit us here." She wanted to ask about Keith, wanted to see him, hear him. Was he there with Velene now?

"Wonderful. So, we'll see you in a few days then." Velene smiled. "Oh, and your Majesty?"

"Yes?"

"I'm attaching a file for you, it's just an old Earth song I thought you'd like."

"Thank you. See you soon, Velene." Allura signed off and hurried to accept the file and then pressed play.

_**Back in black I hit the sack  
I been too long I'm glad to be back  
Yes I am  
Let loose from the noose  
That's kept me hanging about  
I keep looking at the sky cause it's gettin' me high  
Forget the hearse cause I'll never die  
I got nine lives cat's eyes  
Using every one of them and runnin' wild  
Cause I'm back  
Yes I'm back in black**_

Allura laughed and cried at the same time then danced around the room. Keith was coming home!


End file.
